When Clearwater goes cloudy
by Mrstrentreznor
Summary: Seth is no longer the youngest wolf. He doesn't have a mate but he keeps getting drawn to a particular place in the forest. AU. NC17 for teen sex and language Fifth story in the W series.
1. Over sharing

**Chapter 1: Over sharing**

Author: mrstrentreznor

Title: When Clearwater goes cloudy

Rating: NC-17 for teen sex, language and themes

Fandom: Twilight, AU

Pairing: mostly Seth, with bits of the rest of the pack

Feedback: please and thankyou

Author's Notes: follows the previous four stories, in this series

Summary: Seth is no longer the youngest wolf. He doesn't have a mate but he keeps getting drawn to a particular place in the forest. AU. NC17 for teen sex and language Fifth story in the W series.

**When Clearwater goes cloudy**

AN: this has become a series of stories. Read them in this order:

1. What was she doing?

2. What was he thinking?

3. Where's my happy ever after?

4. Who's your daddy?

5. When Clearwater goes cloudy.

**Chapter 1 over sharing**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Seth, Paul, Embry and Quil were trying to play cards.

Trying, because Seth was in a _mood_. Someone had been foolish enough to ask what Jake and Leah were up to and Seth had launched into a whine about living with them.

"Man you do NOT want to be in the house when those two hit it hard. Usually Jake is just up for stamina or frequency but occasionally they go full on animal, pelvis snapping sex and I RUN. It is NOT normal sex. I swear he tried to fuck her through the wall last night…," he complained.

"Jeez Seth, over share much?" said Embry, throwing his cards down. It was hopeless.

"Yeah, Way too much information dude," said Quil, following suit. For once.

"I see inside your heads… remember?" Seth pointed out. "You all thought I was just the little brother. But I know that you guys are just jealous, 'cause you all wanted to hit that." He managed to look superior. "Except Paul," he added.

They all looked at Paul.

"What?" from Paul; he was still trying to sort his cards.

Quil looked perplexed. "He's right… you never did."

"Out of the hundreds of women you bedded, Leah Clearwater never was one, was she?" Embry asked.

"No."

"Why not?" Seth sounded as if he really wanted to know.

"She kind of offered…" Paul added.

"And you turned her down?" Quil was incredulous.

"**Hell yeah!"**

Embry shook his head. "Paul, explain it to us and use very small words please so we can be sure we understand your reasoning… 'cause I could have sworn I just heard you say Leah wanted to fuck you and you said 'no'."

"Why do you think she had such a hissy fit at the bonfire that time she thought I was fucking Bella? You remember they were screaming at each other inside the house." [WWSD chapter 7]

"I thought you _were_fucking Bella then," said Quil.

"Well no… not until later that night." Paul smirked.

"Jesus Paul," said Seth. "That's where you went; you ran to her house." It was as if he had only just worked that out.

"She picked me up on the road… actually I thought she might run me down for a second… but…" Paul shrugged again.

"Is that what Leah was upset about?" asked Embry.

"Yeah… I basically didn't let her get to the offering stage. Just shut her down at every turn. She was seriously pissed with me because I fucked everyone else EXCEPT her," Paul explained.

"Oh…," they all breathed.

"No," said Quil, "I still don't get it."

"I rejected her; not the other way around," Paul tried again.

"Yes but why?" Quil still didn't get it.

"Too complicated," Paul stated.

"The explanation?" checked Quil.

"No… Leah! She was a freaking basket case, Man! We all saw inside her head. Sex with her may have been down right amazing, but it was **so** not worth it, as fucked in the head as she was at that stage," Paul explained.

"Jake helped to fix her," said Seth, "and some of it, she did on her own. Always does try to do stuff on her own."

"He healed her," corrected Embry. "And he was the only one who could have done it."

"He got hurt protecting her too, remember?" from Quil.

Paul spoke again, "So, in that case he gets what he earnt in my opinion. If he wants to fuck her through the wall, he can go for it. Besides," added Paul, "I had already imprinted on Bella, months earlier."

"Yeah but you fucked half of forks; the female half. Why was Leah off the list?" Quil still needed clarification.

"You don't shit in your own nest, guys. You oughta know that! She was too close and too complicated. Sam would have beaten the stuffing out of me, too. But you should have offered to do the deed, Embry," he suggested.

"What? Me?"

"Ha, tell us you didn't want to," Paul gleefully said.

"She used to tease me about my father," Embry was quiet for a minute. "So hang on, she's too complicated for _**you**_ but it would be okay for me! What the fuck, Paul?"

"Heck, you _**like**_ to complicate your life! You even imprinted on Rachel Black! It doesn't get much more fucking complicated than that," stated Paul.

Everyone sniggered.

"Whatever," said Quil, "it still leaves us with what do we do with Seth?"

"What? Since when did I become the topic of conversation?" Seth queried.

"You're getting some arent' ya, Seth?" Paul asked.

"Yeah… enough," he admitted. He almost blushed.

"No imprinting though," pointed out Quil.

"Yeah well, we can't all pick up strays at the side of the road Quil," Seth replied.

"Hey, she might have been a stray but she's beautiful…" Quil's eyes glazed over.

Seth added, "Maybe some of us don't want to imprint. Maybe we want to find love on our own."

"He's been watching the Hallmark Channel again," Embry whispered.

"I heard that! Best hearing in the pack you know…"

"So that exceptional hearing doesn't let you hear anyone pining for you eh, Sethy boy," said Paul.

"Well what am I supposed to do? Go around looking deeply into every girl's eyes trying to find my perfect match?" Seth was sarcastic.

"No don't do that, I tried that, it just weirds them out and you don't get ANY sex," stated Embry.

They all looked at him.

"On the Makah rez," he explained, "when I was feeling all sorry for myself after Quil imprinted and pissed off and left me alone. I went round like a complete dope, gazing intently at women and got nothing except weird looks and people pulling their friends out of my eyesight."

"Yeah but that was _before_ your big life changing moment," added Quil.

"So Seth has to go away on a spirit quest like Leah?" suggested Paul.

"Or hunt down missing family members," said Embry.

"Or stop to chase the squirrels," from Quil.

Seth rolled his eyes. "For fuck's sake guys. Leave it alone! **I'm happy!"**

"Yeah we know." None of them sounded happy about it. Perhaps they were just the littlest bit jealous.

"He's too happy… it's not right," suggested Quil.

"No one is that sunny and cheerful all the time; it's weird," said Embry.

"He's adorable," from Paul. "Like a big gangly puppy." They all looked at him. "Well, that's what Bella says," he blustered.

"Oh come on guys… I'm seventeen…if it aint broke, don't fix it. I'm fine! If the fucking imprint fairy swoops down and whacks me with her big starry wand, I'll deal with it," he shrugged, "like I deal with everything else in my life."

"With a smile," the others chorused.

"Jeez I dunno, the imprint fairy has to fuck it up sometime…," suggested Paul.

"What do you mean?" Seth asked. He sounded a little worried.

Paul explained, "Well they have got it pretty right so far, Sam with Emily, Kim with Jared, me with Bella, Embry with Rachel and Quil with Pititchu. What does that leave you? The odds are stacked against you, man."

"What…" argued Seth, "there is a whole world of women out there. You of all people ought to know that."

"Yeah… it could get it all wrong," suggested Embry, ignoring Seth's comment.

"Make you imprint on a baby," from Quil.

"Or an old woman," from Paul.

"Or a guy," Embry said with evil relish.

"Or a vampire," stated Quil, "Bad imprint fairy."

"Guys, give it up! I'm seventeen. I am happy with meaningless casual sex. I don't want to be locked into my lifetime relationship at this age. It will be fine." He smiled at them with his big, adorable puppy smile, "I know you are all just worried about me. But don't forget about Collin and Brady too. They haven't imprinted either."

"Ooh, ooh," said Paul, "what if the imprint fairy made you imprint on one of them? Then you could have wall breaking sex… with a guy wolf." Paul looked gleeful.

Seth just looked at him. Then he sighed. "You are a sad, strange little man, you have my pity," he said quoting his favourite line from Toy Story.

FF_2154210_ - 8/03/2011 08:21:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 30/08/2011 07:09:00 PM


	2. Running wolf

**Chapter 2 running wolf**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Seth liked being a werewolf. I mean sure it had its drawbacks, tearing apart your clothes occasionally, having that horrible candy taste in your mouth whenever you had to tear a vamp apart, and your grocery bill reached stratospheric proportions; but all round it was pretty cool. Most teens had a posse that they hung with and socialised with, but he literally had a pack.

He knew the guys were just teasing him, and he knew that at some level, they were just the littlest bit jealous of his single status. They all loved and adored their imprints but sometimes they all remembered their single days fondly. Seth was certainly enjoying his now. Girls had always liked him because he made them laugh but now he had the body to back it up. He was their friend first and he had maintained a happy relationship with all his exes, if you could call them that. So, he was kind of their friend last too. Whatever, it worked for him.

But lately, all joking aside from the other guys in the pack, he had been feeling just the littlest bit off balance. He wasn't unhappy, he just had this… yearning… for something, … he wasn't even sure what it was he was yearning for.

And his yearning seemed to have a physical location. Every time he phased and went for a run, he would end up on the same patch of highway 101, just south of forks. He had explored this whole patch of forest and had no idea why he kept going there. There was no scent of vampire or anything like that. It was just a patch of forest the same as all the other bits of forest. The only thing that made it different from any of the others was the fact that he kept showing up there.

And every time his mind wandered when he was out running, he ended up there.

He was running along now, his paws slamming into the dirt and his body stretching out eagerly as he ran. He was thinking about Jacob Black. Jake had always kind of been his idol. He had followed him around before either of them had even known about the shape-changing thing their small community had been burdened with. Well they had heard the stories, but they had not known they were real.

Jake was even more his hero now. He had done so much and he handled it all so well. He should be nominated for an award; he really should. His mother died when he was young. He nursed his invalid father with great care and responsibility. Most teens wanted to skip out and hang with their friends but Jake had always made sure he was home promptly to help his dad into bed and to make sure he looked after himself. Especially his feet. Diabetics had real trouble with their feet for some reason. Something to do with circulation issues. Seth had never really thought about what a big responsibility it was, until his mum had taken it over so Jake could have a life.

Jake had turned his interest in cars into a money-paying job that contributed income to his family and was now a functioning business. A business that employed others and brought income to the whole reservation. It was Embry's capital that had started it, but it was Jake's reputation as the best mechanic in the area that brought in all the customers. And they always came back because the guys knew what they were doing and didn't overcharge or rip people off.

Jake had adored Bella from the time they had spent their summer holidays together. But the wolf gods had other ideas and Paul had imprinted on her. Jake had let her go. It took him a while to get over it, but no one had really expected him to recover from that kind of heartbreak overnight. There was an unspoken fear that it would cause the same kind of problems that Leah and Sam's breakup had caused for the pack. There was no way the pack could have handled two of those kinds of battles.

Seth didn't even want to think about how it could have gone if Paul and Jake had really fought over Bella. Everyone had seen Jake whaling on Paul's face that time and to be honest, it had scared the crap out of him. But Paul hadn't fought back. If he had, especially protecting his imprint, they could have killed each other. And where would that have left the pack?

Which brought him back to the person he usually wanted to whale on. His sister.

Leah.

Chalk up another success to Jacob Black. She was his sister but she had been just the most horrible person _**ever**_. She had made the pack life hell. She had driven everyone to a point where they had all hated her. Her continuous bitching about Sam and Emily had eroded whatever sympathy anyone had for her at the start. Sam was the only one who still thought of her as nice. And that was probably just his misplaced guilt. It was a serious clusterfuck. That kind of shit just wasn't good for a pack either. They were supposed to be a team and Seth had often worried that the pack would not back Leah up properly if she was in trouble. Would they have risked themselves for her? The whiny bitch?

But Jake had shown that he didn't think like that. He had actually thrown himself between Leah and a vampire. And not just any vampire, but a newborn one. They were supernaturally strong; they all knew that from the endless lectures from their Alphas. And he had suffered for it. Broke almost every bone in half of his body.

But Jake had managed to heal more than just his bones. Jake had healed Leah. And Seth would always thank him for that. She was his sister and he loved her but some days he had not liked her very much. Now she was a different person.

So Jake was the alpha of the wolf pack, the chief in waiting for the whole tribe. He had contributed to his tribe and his community. He gave the best advice and he was just all round, the coolest guy… ever.

So yeah, Jacob Black was his hero.

Seth stopped running and looked around.

Fuck! He was back at that spot again.

A girl and her mother are driving along the 101 highway, just south of Forks.

"Will we stop in Forks for a drink or something?" the mother asked, glancing at her daughter.

They are both of Native American appearance. The girl looked about seventeen. Her hair is long and braided down her back.

"I don't care," sulked the girl. "This trip is stupid, two days in the car is stupid… and did we have to go via Oregon? It's stupid…"

"No, but it would still have taken more than twenty hours of driving if we went direct from Deadwood to Neah Bay." The mother is reasonable and patient but she gave the impression that this is an argument they have already had several times.

"I told you, I wanted to see the rose gardens and I may not get another opportunity. Your father hates things like that," she explained.

"Yeah, well… now I know where I get it from," the teen sulked. She mutters something under her breath. It sounds a lot like 'rose bushes are stupid'.

There was silence for a minute or two. The radio played in the background.

"Tell me you did not name me after those stupid bushes anyway," the girl asked.

Her mother laughs. "I thought they were beautiful flowers and Rose is a beautiful name." She looked at her again. "I _still_ think Rose is a beautiful name and we will sort this problem out."

"I don't see how a bunch of old men can help me." The girl looked suddenly wounded in some way.

"Just calm down honey," the mother said, "the last thing I need is to be driving in the rain."

"It's the Pacific Northwest mum. It's always raining."

"Tone, young lady," her mother chastised, "watch the tone."

But, they grinned at each other. Clearly that was one of those family phrases that have a whole chapter of history behind it.

"Thank you for putting your seatbelt on," the mother said in an effort to give the teen some reward. They had fought about it at the last rest stop. The mother had laughed that her entire life was one long argument with her teenage daughter.

There was a movement in the forest at the side of the road. A gigantic animal emerged from the trees and stood near the side of the road. It was a wolf; but it was huge.

The mother grabbed at the steering wheel, as if she was not sure if the animal was going to run across the road, or perhaps it had just frightened her with its sudden appearance. The car swerved on the road. She fought to get it back under control and she managed it, but the wheels have gone off the edge of the sealed road. They have two wheels in the dirt, two on the tar. She tried to brake.

A wheel hit the edge of the road and the whole car flipped. It started to tumble onto its roof. The wolf watched it. Oddly, it didn't run from the screaming and the noise. It seemed frozen.

The car landed on the roof with a crunch of metal and glass and then it kept rolling and finally came to a stop back on its wheels. The car moved sideways and the seatbelts stopped the passengers from being thrown from the vehicle but they do not stop sideways movement within the vehicle. The girl was unconscious; she bled from a wound where her head must have hit the side window.

It was an older car and only had a driver side airbag.

The mother, the driver, was unconscious too.

The wolf stood there.

88888

FF_2154210_ - 10/03/2011 01:19:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 30/08/2011 07:15:00 PM


	3. Aftermath

**Chapter 3 Aftermath**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Deputy Clearwater stood frozen; she stared at the accident.

The silence was deafening.

She was the first officer on the scene. Someone had called in the vehicle accident to the emergency number and she was the nearest car. It was anonymous. Maybe they were driving past or something and didn't want to stop. The ambulance and the EMTs arrived a few minutes after she had. They were already working on the people in the car.

Initially she had it pegged as caused by the driver just driving too fast, but she could smell her brother's wolf scent in the car. A smell so familiar to her, that it took her a little while to identify it here. It was so familiar and so out of place at the same time. Like seeing someone you knew, in the wrong city. The driver did not smell of alcohol so she could rule that out too.

A phone with stickers and a decorative tassel was on the passenger side floor. It must be the girl's phone. Leah picked it up carefully and checked the last number dialled. It is 911. She lifted the phone to her nose and scented it.

Seth.

She didn't know what was going on, but she sure as hell was going to find out.

Without even thinking about it too hard, she deleted the number from the 'numbers dialled' list. She placed the phone back on the floor. She sincerely hoped that act didn't bite her on the ass in the future. There is no way anyone in the car could have phoned it in. She will protect Seth, even if she didn't know why, yet.

He must have had a reason why he was here. It was not his patrol area. **He** must have phoned emergency services. He used the girls' phone. She could smell him on it and it is on the floor with 911 as the last number dialled. But why? Why was he even here?

She stood and looked around in the surrounding forest, but she cannot see any sign of him. Why didn't he stay? Guess it would be hard to explain what he was doing here; but what **was** he doing here?

The mother had some minor injuries from the glass, and a broken thumb where the steering wheel turned so hard and she was still trying to hold it. She was lucky she didn't break both thumbs.

Her daughter was not so lucky.

They resuscitated her at the scene; got her heart started again, but her vitals signs were poor. They got them both into the ambulance as fast as they could. Forks was the closest hospital, they will take them there.

Leah stayed at the scene to wait for Charlie Swan.

* * *

"What the fuck is going on Seth?" Leah demanded. "Why were you even there? It was not your area for patrol. Fuck, it wasn't even your night for patrol. You ring emergency services and then fuck off…"

"I don't know," Seth mumbled. His head was down.

"You chase cars now?"

"No." He shook his head as if he was confused, "I can't explain it. Something made me be there. I run and I just end up there. Every single time…"

"Oh please," Leah was sarcastic, "Are you trying to tell me it is fate, karma, or some shit like that? The great wolf made you stand in front of a car." She looked at him suddenly.

"Were you on the road, Seth?"

He didn't answer.

"Did you **cause** the accident?" Leah demanded.

He made some small wounded noise.

"Were you trying to kill yourself?" She was incredulous and half concerned.

"Jesus, no Leah. I'm not suicidal or depressed you know that," he blustered.

"As if being hit by a car could kill us anyway?" he pointed out.

"Then why?" she demanded.

He didn't answer her. "I don't know okay?" He put his hands over his face.

Jake padded silently into the room. He could hear them easily enough but he thought he should intervene. "Is this pack business?" he asked.

"Yes," said Leah.

Seth said, "No," at the same time.

"Okay," Jake was tentative.

Pause.

"Why don't you tell me what you are fighting about and let me sort it out?" Jake suggested.

Leah started, "Seth was playing chasings with a car and now a woman is injured and her daughter nearly died."

"Harsh, Leah," whined Seth.

"True Seth," she bit back. "She's in a fucking coma!"

"Stop it," Jake ordered.

"Would you have told us you were there at the accident?" Leah demanded.

"What do you mean?"

"I scented you, but if I wasn't on duty… would you have told us about this?"

He didn't answer her and that was answer enough.

Jake looked puzzled. He looked at Seth.

"This isn't like you Seth… what's wrong?"

"Jeez Jake, he doesn't deserve your sympathy; that family does."

"Shush Leah," he grabbed her arm. "Look at him… really look at him."

She did.

He looked shattered. Like he had been broken and put together but the pieces just didn't fit well enough to make _her_ Seth. She hadn't seen how upset he was before, because she was so busy being angry with him. She flipped instantly to his big sister.

"Seth baby? What's wrong?" she tried to hug him.

"I almost killed them… I saw that car turn over... I thought they were both dead… the noise … it was a horrible noise… the metal actually groans… she was looking right at me…"

"What were you doing there? It's the middle of freaking nowhere…" Leah asked.

"I don't know; I told you… I don't know!" he was so distraught. "I just knew I had to be there, at that spot… I can't explain it." He looked as confused as they did. "I told you… every time I run I end up there… that same spot… every time…"

Jake and Leah looked at each other.

"Can I go see her… at the hospital?" Seth asked.

"The girl? She's in a coma, Seth. But I'll see what I can do." This was her little brother and she would do anything for him.

"Why don't you go have a shower Seth, that might make you feel better," Jake cajoled him.

"Yeah… all right," Seth wandered off, but he still looked damaged somehow. He looked rudderless.

Jake spoke; he hadn't taken his eyes off Seth as he walked away. "Leah, we need to find out everything we can about this girl. Can you check the Police database for me?"

"Why?"

"Seth was there for a reason; maybe it was… mystical… but something made him be there."

She looked like she was going to argue.

"Please Leah," he added.

"This isn't what I am supposed to be doing; searching police files for the pack," she blustered.

Jake thought that it was exactly what she was supposed to be doing; but he knew better than to say that to her.

"If it helps Seth it will be worth it; won't it?" Jake tried.

Leah looked doubtful.

Jake looked at her and held out his arms. "Hey, come here." She did.

He wrapped his arms around her.

She let out a little noise; almost a whimper.

"What if the car had hit him? What on earth was he doing there? He could have blown the whole secret if she starts blabbing about gigantic wolves to everyone."

"It's Seth… he must have a reason. The driver's not making much sense right now is she?"

"No, they think she just had the scale wrong. They know she swerved to avoid a wolf, but not one nearly as tall as her car. They are just putting it down to shock. Nobody believes her and they have all forgotten the giant bear sightings of a couple of years ago. Remember when a couple of hikers saw us and said we were giant bears?"

"You sure no one has mentioned it?" Jake checked, "Charlie doesn't miss much."

"No one has mentioned them, or put it together, **yet.**"

FF_2154210_ - 11/03/2011 12:24:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 30/08/2011 07:27:00 PM


	4. Police powers

**Chapter 4 Police powers**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

During her next shift, Leah checked the police files. The girl was Makah. Her name was Rose Hoburn. Her home address was in Deadwood South Dakota. Winona Hoburn was the mother. They were good, law abiding citizens on paper at least.

The car was packed for a vacation, not a move across the country. They move the stuff into storage for them. Charlie was thoughtful like that. They trash the damaged stuff. Some bottles broke in the car and the spillage has damaged some things. The vehicle itself is a write off. It is towed to the police compound and left there. It may need to be examined if the girl died and it becomes a case for the medical examiner.

Leah used the excuse of taking some clothes and toiletries to the hospital for the mother. Charlie patted her shoulder and told her he thought she was wonderful and thoughtful. Little did he know…?

She told Charlie she will ask the mother some more questions about the accident.

With her uniform, she can just walk in to the hospital, after checking at the desk. In a small town like Forks, everyone knew all the police officers. Leah had done this before.

Winona was still shocky. She looked like the survivors of a million other car accidents. She was shaky, guilty and facing her daughters mortality. She refused to leave Rose's room. Leah was uncomfortable asking her the questions she needed to in the presence of the girl.

Winona's wrist was in a cast now and she picked at with her other hand. It was becoming a nervous gesture.

"Would you like to go the cafeteria and get a coffee or something?" Leah asked solicitously.

"I suppose you still have some questions for me?" her voice was shaky.

Leah nodded.

The woman exhaled and stared at her daughter.

"It's the greatest nightmare for a parent. That your child might die before you. We don't plan for grandchildren or whatever, you just assume… you know… you'll die and they will still be here…"

Leah touched her hand. Squeezed it gently.

"You are so warm and she…," She cannot finish the sentence.

Leah managed to get her out of the room. They sat in the hospital cafeteria. Cups of coffee sat on the table in front of them.

Leah didn't know where to start. She just needed to get her to talk.

"Mrs Hoburn… can I ask why you were travelling?"

"I needed to go home."

"Home?"

"Neah Bay."

"You are Makah?"

"Yes. You?"

"Quileute."

"Of course."

"It was a vacation? Were you visiting family? Is there someone at the rez we can contact for you?"

Winona didn't question her need to know any of this. She was not really thinking clearly. "No, not really. We were going home to … it seems silly now…," she shook her head. "There's no one you can call."

Leah had a thought of who might be able to help this woman. "Do you know Raven Call?"

"That name… yes I remember her." She frowned with the effort of remembering Raven. "I left Neah Bay when I was quite young. I don't remember a lot of the people there."

"She is the grandmother of a good friend of mine. We could contact her… if you want… she is Makah…"

"No, it's not necessary…" her voice trailed off and she picked at the cast again. She has not touched the coffee in front of her.

Leah wanted to try again. "Raven would come; I know she would. You need someone with you. You shouldn't be alone now." She patted her hand sympathetically. She had learnt through the Sherriff work, that sometimes the fastest way to make someone feel more positive about you was to touch them; on the arm or the shoulder was enough. Not too intimate; that has the opposite effect.

The woman smiled at her weakly. "Perhaps you are right."

Leah stood and thought she should deal with this now. "Excuse me for a minute," she said to Winona. She phoned Embry. Laid it out for him and asked him if Raven would come.

He assured her she would and she could stay with him and Rachel, with no problems if she wasn't welcome at her daughter's house.

Raven was still not one hundred percent with her daughter Marlena, Embry's mother. They were all waiting for Embry's mother to work up the guts to leave La Push. Finding out Embry was a shape shifter was just the final straw for her. She still only thought of herself. He was now in trouble for wasting the 'best years of her life' while she raised him. The fact that it was her decision to be alone and her behaviour that had isolated herself was forgotten. It was all his fault.

Leah sat again, fiddling with her coffee cup. "So you say you saw a wolf."

"I think so… but it was huge… and an odd colour… sandy brown… it is all so fuzzy now… some kind of animal… it was too big to be a wolf, but that is what it looked like."

"You swerved," Leah prompted.

"It's instinct isn't it? You don't want to hit an animal. And then the wheel caught… and the car just flipped. I couldn't even tell you if it was on the road or just beside it… but it gave me such a fright."

Leah's phone buzzed; a text from Embry to say Raven was on her way. "I love that woman," said Leah to herself.

"Raven is on her way. She will meet you here at the hospital. Can I text her, with your mobile number, so that you can meet up?"

Winona gave it to her and she texted it to Raven with her thanks.

"The wolf, if that is what it was… it was so big… the car would have been totalled anyway if we had hit it," Winona sounded almost unsure of herself now.

"You need to drink the coffee, the sugar helps with shock." Leah pushed the cup closer to her.

"I don't take sugar in my coffee," she mumbled.

"You do, today," Leah told her.

She drank it. It was as if Leah's police authority worked here too.

Leah got some more official details from Winona before she escorted her back to her daughter's room.

She grabbed the doctor on her way out and asked about the prognosis for the girl.

"She has suffered a major head trauma. There is some bleeding on the brain so far, but she has shut herself down to heal. It is not sufficient to operate at present. She has a broken shoulder from where she held her arm up across her face. She is very lucky she was wearing a seatbelt. Most fatalities in accidents of this kind occur when the passenger is thrown from the vehicle. She has less leg injuries than we could have expected for the driver. The airbag saved the driver."

"Will she come out of the coma?" asked Leah.

"Just as every brain injury is unique; so is the rate of recovery. One cannot predict the speed with which a brain injury patient will progress from level to level, or at which level the patient will reach a plateau, which is a temporary or permanent levelling off in the recovery process. Prospects for the recovery of consciousness become grim when the vegetative state becomes chronic or permanent, after a month in this state her chances of recovery decrease. If she remains in this state for a year …"

"Thank you doctor," Leah shook his hand. Privately she wondered why doctors couldn't just speak like normal people. They must do a course at university on how to speak like a complete prat. And another one for the appalling hand writing. Can't write legibly and no one can understand a word you say? You should be a doctor.

FF_2154210_ - 12/03/2011 02:27:00 AM

FF_2154210_ - 30/08/2011 07:31:00 PM


	5. Too many machines

**Chapter 5 too many machines**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

**Raven arrived**

Raven arrived the next day and settled herself in to stay with Embry and Rachel. They had built a guest room in their little apartment at the back of the ABC garage. The apartment was simply furnished and pretty sparse. Rachel would never let Embry spend money on stuff unless they _really_ needed it.

Raven brought a quilt with her that she had started to make when Marlena was pregnant with Embry. She had never finished it because they had lost touch, but like most quilters, she had it stashed away unfinished in a box somewhere. She had found it and finished it for him. Rachel assured her it was too beautiful to go on a bed and would have to be hung on the wall in pride of place. She didn't try to tell her the last thing Embry needed on his bed was extra bedding. He could see it and think of his grandmother if it was hung on the wall.

Raven tracked Leah down and asked her why they were so interested in this family.

Leah told her about the accident and being the first person at the scene.

"They were coming back to Neah Bay for a reason; I just wondered if it was something the council should know about. You know, if they have made a booking to talk to them or something…"

Raven studied her. She frowned. "What is going on, Leah?"

She shrugged.

"Don't give me that…" Raven glared at her. "I tell; you tell."

"I'd have to check with Jake," Leah conceded.

"Hmm," said Raven. "Jake? Surely you meant Charlie Swan? The sheriff?"

Leah didn't answer her, but she had a trapped look on her face.

Raven stated, "I will let you off for now... but I _will_find out."

Leah didn't blink.

"It's the girl," Raven said suddenly. "I found out that the Hoburns **had** petitioned the tribal elders for a private meeting."

"A private meeting? That's not usual, right?" Leah paused, "I mean our tribal council doesn't do that often… so… I assume yours is pretty similar."

"No, it **is **unusual," confirmed Raven.

"So it's Rose?" prompted Leah.

"They wanted to ask the council about something weird she has experienced. Something that has only happened recently."

"She's seventeen," guessed Leah. She was thinking that most of the wolves had phased at around that age or younger, so if something freaky had happened with Rose it might have shown up at a certain age.

"So?"

"Oh, nothing. Puberty and all that." Leah tried to look innocent.

Raven looked even more suspicious.

* * *

**Seth's first visit**

The first time Seth visited the hospital, Leah brought him. She was in uniform so she carried that mantle of authority with her. Seth realised that Leah now almost permanently gave off a 'fuck with me and you die' aura; but it was more subtle than it used to be. He smiled at the thought that Jake's subtlety might literally be rubbing off on her; they rubbed each other together often enough.

She introduced them both at the nurses' station and asked if they could visit Rose Hoburn.

Seth had brought some flowers. A nurse walked them to her private room.

As she entered the door, she started talking.

Seth thought that was weird, she was unconscious right?

"Good afternoon Rose," she said. "It's Valerie Spinelli again. Guess who has visitors today? I will give you a hint. It isn't me." She leant over the bed conspiratorially, "And one of them is a cute boy. Do you know him?" She checked and fiddled with some of the monitors by the bedside. "And you remember Deputy Clearwater."

"Why do you do that?" asked Seth.

"Do what? Talk to her?"

"Yeah."

"She's not dead." She said it as if it was completely obvious that she was not dead. "She's not even 'asleep' technically. She can hear everything we say. So don't talk over her as if she isn't here. Some people think coma patients can see everything too. I don't think she is at that stage yet. She hasn't even opened her eyes." The woman looked at Rose and smiled. "I just treat her exactly like all the other patients. She's just a bit quieter, that's all." She brushed Rose's hair off her forehead.

"Did she bang her eyes?" asked Seth. Rose was sporting two black eyes.

"We call that 'raccoon eyes'," Valerie explained, "It's a frequent occurrence with a brain bleed. The blood ends up in the face and it shows most obviously around the eyes."

She reached for the bunch of flowers. "Let me find a vase for those."

"Sure, sure," Seth replied.

He approached the bed tentatively. "Jesus, look at her Leah. She's a mess."

"Typical, little brother. You are making a mistake already. Didn't you hear what she just said?"

He looked flummoxed. "Oh," as he realised. "Sorry Rose," he apologised.

Leah studied the girl on the bed. She was a mass of bruises. Tubes were everywhere; down her throat; in her arms, running out from under the sheets. Her shoulder was bandaged.

There were machines all around the bed. One breathed for her and had a tube running out of it and into her mouth. Another machine had a wire to the top of her head to measure intracranial pressure. More wires came out of her chest and to a monitor screen. An IV stand fed through another machine and into a cannula going into the vein inside her elbow. Her legs were wrapped in plastic leg wraps that inflated and deflated through tubes from yet another machine. Leah assumed they were to help prevent blood from pooling in the legs and forming blood clots that could kill her. More tubes fed into what looked like a bag of urine hanging on the side of the bed.

She looked worse than she had yesterday. Maybe the bruising had intensified.

"I hate hospitals," Leah said.

"Yeah, me too. It's the smell. Bleach, disinfectant and death."

The nurse Valerie returned with the vase full of flowers. "Why don't I put it here where you can smell them?" she asked the patient. "You were first on the scene weren't you Leah?" asked Valerie.

"Yes, I was. I guess I have taken a personal interest in this girl." Leah looked embarrassed. "She touched me, you know, she's so young… to be like this."

Seth could not believe it. He knew Leah was just here because he had asked her to be. This performance was Oscar worthy. He hoped he was not ruining it by having his jaw hang open in shock.

Leah continued, "I know her mother is pretty stressed right now, so I wondered if it would be okay if my brother Seth visited with Rose." She waved airily at Seth to introduce him. "I understand that personal contact can help a coma patient and I just don't have the time to do it myself. He's my proxy." Leah smiled nervously.

Seth was speechless.

"That's true," agreed Valerie. "And he is pretty decorative." She gave Seth a look. "I have no objections if it is okay with her mother. She will want to meet him though. She should be back in a few minutes."

"Ask her, the next time you see her, if you are concerned," suggested Leah reasonably.

"I will do that," Valerie stated. She left with a final comment to Rose.

Leah and Seth waited for Winona to return. Leah kept glancing at her watch as if she really had other places to be. Seth knew she hated hospitals too.

Winona arrived and Leah introduced her to Seth. She held his hand and studied him hard. Leah went with the prepared story about her needing extra help and that she had asked Seth to help her as she was working and he was closer to Rose's age.

Seth felt like Winona had x-ray eyes; maybe it was a parent thing. However, at some point, she made a small nod and it was agreed; he could visit. She had to see the car insurers, and she had no idea how long it would take. Seth agreed to stay until she got back.

Winona left with a final balancing glance at Seth.

"Right," said Leah, "I'm off back to the station. Don't fuck this up."

"Jeez Leah, what do you think I am going to do?"

"No idea. Just _don't_…"

She left.

She got back to the police station just in time to hear Charlie on the phone.

"Yes, I know Seth Clearwater. He's almost my stepson; well at least he is the son of my girlfriend…"

Leah cringed. Just hearing it made her shudder. Ughh parental sex… double ughh.

"Absolutely I will vouch for him… sure… not a problem… you ladies do your jobs well… yes… you too… good day."

He hung up and gave Leah a look.

"Aah," she blustered. "I asked Seth to help sit with that girl… Rose? Visitors and personal contact are supposed to help coma patients and her mother is all alone. I phoned Raven Call and she will come down to hold her hand as well."

"Hmmm," said Charlie.

He let her get away with it, but she had no doubt that Charlie would be watching. She prayed Seth did not fuck this up… any further…

**Meanwhile… back at the hospital …**

"So," Seth started, "you don't know me. My name is Seth Clearwater."

He reached for her hand and shook it as if he was being introduced. It was hard with all the tubing and the cannula in her arm.

"Pleased to meet you Rose."

Silence. Her eyes were closed.

"I brought you some flowers. Can you smell them?"

He pulled one out of the vase and held it under her nose.

"See?" he asked her. "I suppose that should be 'smell'."

"Maybe next time I could get stinkier ones. No that wasn't what I meant… I meant… more perfumed… not stinky."

He put the flower back in the vase and perched on the edge of her bed. He held her hand again.

"I'm really sorry you got hurt. You were in a car accident. You might not remember."

He settled in to have a quick chat to her. The nurses watched him. Charlie's word was good, but not good enough for them. He didn't do anything weird. They decide to keep an eye on him anyway. Rose was young and female; they worried.

He could hear them discussing him. He decided he should cut it short for a first visit. Plus he could hear her mother talking to the doctor in the hallway.

"I could come again tomorrow? If you wanted?" he pretended as if she had answered in the affirmative. "Excellent. Let's do that. So, it's a date. Well not a date… you know… shit Seth… get it together…"

He breathed out and calmed himself.

He picked up her hand again, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "So I'll see you tomorrow Rose."

And he left with a wave at Winona. He stood in the stairwell and tried to pull himself together with some deep breaths, when he heard Valerie talking to Rose again. "My, my girl. You do get the cutest visitors. Well, let me see... he's very tall, and very Native American, very built, but he looks like he still has some growing to do... now that is a scary thought, if he is going to get bigger... how big? He must be a big bit over 6 ft, I'd say 6 ft 3 at the least … and he has the nicest eyes... soulful? Is that the word... okay... you sleep now and I will check on you later."

At least he knew he had made a positive impression upon the nursing staff.

FF_2154210_ - 13/03/2011 01:03:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 30/08/2011 08:55:00 PM


	6. The next day

**Chapter 6 The Next day**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

The next day Seth was back.

This time he was a little more prepared. He had spent half the night reading up on coma patient strategies on the internet. He had no idea how many of them were fake stories, but there were rare cases where people woke up after years, with no bad side effects. He really hoped Rose didn't have any bad side effects.

The general idea was that the longer she stayed like this, the more problems she would have getting back to normal. Whatever that was for her; he didn't even know.

So, he brushed her hair. As well as he could with the bruises and cuts on her head. He kept touching her hand and chatting away; a running commentary on everything he was doing. It might have freaked her out to have a stranger touch her anywhere else, so he was careful not to overstep her boundaries.

He chatted to the nurses; learnt all their names. He needed them to be his friends. He asked them about coma nursing. They told him that they have to roll her or move her every two to three hours, to stop her getting bed sores.

He held her hand; the one without the tubing and massaged it a little. He kept just chatting away about how he would never be able to deal with being stuck the way she was. Then he apologised because he thought that it might be rude to remind her that she **was** stuck.

"It's all right for me, eh? I can just walk out the door. You're stuck here until you get yourself out of this. Hey, the nurses said you are probably healing a brain injury. They think you banged your head on the side window when the car rolled."

"I'm doing patrol tonight… you want me to bring you something smellier than flowers? What about some leaves from the forest?"

He waited.

"Sure, I could do that for you."

"Pine or cedar?"

He waited for a response.

"A surprise… okay. A surprise it is then."

* * *

Next visit he brought in cedar branches and crushed a sprig under her nose for her to smell. He arranged them in a vase, like flowers.

"Don't you hate the smell of hospitals? And there is always something wrong with the clocks. It's weird; it's like they don't move at all or else that they go too fast. They are always too fast if you don't have enough time, you know if someone doesn't have much time left… I dunno…"

He prattled on… filling the awkward silence with meaningless chatter.

He perched on the side of the bed and held her hand. He told her all about his family. About how weird it was that his mum was dating the Sherriff. He told her Charlie was cool, but it was just weird to see your own mother dating. It seemed wrong somehow. He talked about how he lived with Leah and Jake. He told her what a cool couple they are and that he hoped that maybe she could meet Jake one day.

He decided next time he should bring a book and read to her. He felt like he has run out of things to talk to her about.

"What kind of books do you like?"

He waited.

"My choice… okay… what about music? Alternative… disco… classic rock?"

He waited.

"Cool… my choice too, huh?"

He chuckled. "If you hated disco I could play the Village People or Abba until you woke up, spat it, and told me to stop… would that work?" He looked crestfallen for a second. "Because I really want you to wake up, Rose."

He found an old portable radio and he left it on her bedside table.

He read somewhere that you should have a comment book, to write in milestones that the patient passed and to make notes for the patient's other visitors. The nurses agree. He knows all their names now and they like him.

Laura Markowitz was chubby and chatty; the archetype happy fat girl. She was the youngest of them.

Valerie Spinelli was slim and dark and in her late 30's, he guessed.

Evelyn Downs was a little older. She was a bit rough around the edges but had a heart of gold.

Deborah James was tall and blond, and in her late 20's. She was unlucky in love and eyed him off speculatively.

He managed to time his visits to not clash with her mother. He was not entirely sure he could carry that off right now, meeting her… again. He feared she may ask about his real motives in being here. He assumed the nurses told her about his frequent visits; they must have. Plus he wrote notes in the comment book for her and he saw that she had started to use it too.

Whatever… he was still allowed to be here and he wanted to do his best to help.

He felt as if it was his fault.

* * *

**Intubating**

Days passed. Rose's bruises faded and the cuts and scratches healed. Her shoulder was still bandaged where she broke it when the car rolled. Her eyes opened and closed. She blinked.

The nurses had to clean out the breathing tube in her neck. She had been intubated at the accident scene and they did not think she could breathe on her own yet.

Seth could hear her heart rate pick up. It must have been hurting her or maybe she just didn't like things being shoved down her throat. He grabbed her hands and spoke to her, calling her name and calming her down. When they had finished, there were tears on her cheeks. He thought she had cried, the nurses argued that it was just a gag reflex. He calmed her down and she seemed to fall into a state he liked to think of as sleep.

"You just wore yourself out there Rose," he told her. "If you don't want it in there, you will just have to breathe on your own," he told her sternly.

A day later, she could breathe on her own and the tube was pulled out. It was a big step. Not just that she was breathing on her own but that she was moving her throat muscles properly. Her brain was functioning at a level capable of telling her muscles what to do. Without the breathing tube she could be moved around; she had a little more flexibility. They could move her to lie in a special reclined chair. It was supposed to be good for her whole body. Seth thought it would give her something else to look at instead of the ceiling. Hospital ceilings were pretty damn boring no matter how you looked at them.

Every time they moved her, the nurses used special lotion and massaged the part of her that she had just been lying on. It all helped with her circulation.

Now she had a tube that rested under her nose, giving her extra oxygen. More oxygen was supposed to help coma patients too. She was still being fed by a tube down her nose to her stomach.

He helped move her arms and legs in a kind of physical therapy. The nurses showed him how to do it properly and he learnt quickly. A physical therapist came to see her too.

Seth read her children's books and showed her the bright pictures.

He pretended to argue with her about it.

"Well you said it was my choice… if you don't like it… you will just have to do something about it," he told her.

"But come on, what is not to like about this one? 'Edward the emu' by Rod Clement. The librarian said it was a donation from an Australian tourist. And check out the illustrations… 'Edward the emu was sick of the zoo'…" he started reading aloud.

"How sweet is this… look he is trying to be a lion… and now he tries to be a seal… look he is all wet and balancing a ball on his beak…"

"And it has a happy ending… he finds another emu… just like him… awww … isn't that cute?"

He started to be able to pick up her moods. Some days she was sad, others angry. He started to watch tiny facial, or body changes; he used how she felt to him, to guess at her mood.

He asked her, "Are you sad/angry/bored today?" and he waited politely for her to answer.

He turned the radio on and sang along with his favourite songs.

He held ice cubes and hot packs against her skin to stimulate her nerves.

He brought her talking books and left a pair of ear-buds for her so that she could listen when he was gone. She seemed to like the Harry Potter stories narrated by the English actor Stephen Fry. He did all the character voices too.

The library didn't have a big range of talking books, but he found a series by Laurell K Hamilton about vampires and werewolves; the Anita Blake stories. He thought that was ironic. The librarian assured him that women liked the books.

Rose seemed to like them too. He put his head next to hers on the bed and listened to part of one, one day and he nearly died.

"Whoa Rose," he told her, "This is pretty hot stuff. Explicit sexual content there… it should have a rating… I apologise if I have got you all fired up there… no wonder all the ladies like this one…"

He washed her hair for her one day and braided it carefully. The nurses all joked that he could wash their hair any day.

Any changes Rose was making were very slow, but Seth didn't lose hope.

FF_2154210_ - 14/03/2011 01:22:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 30/08/2011 09:00:00 PM


	7. Drool

**Chapter 7 Drool**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Another day the hospital had moved Rose to hang in a Stryker frame. She hung in it, taking the weight off her body and stopping bedsores. She faced the floor now. When Seth visited, he got down and crawled under her and read her more children's picture books; holding the pictures up for her to see.

She drooled on him.

"Whoa girl, you drooling on me there? If I had known you liked me earlier…" he chuckled.

"God that reminds me of that awful school excursion… have I told you that story? We had to go on this long bus trip… I can't even remember where we were going now… I was about 15 I guess… and I had to sit next to Sarah… Sarah Spottedwolf… she was beautiful and I had the biggest crush on her… for years… so, at any rate, I am **so** nervous… I can't even bring myself to speak to her… I cannot say two words to her… I know… it's hard to believe that **I** could not talk, but I could not_speak_ to her… I was pretty tired from patrol and the bus was hot and stuffy and I must have fallen asleep… and you will never believe it… but I drooled on her shirt… my head must have fallen over to the side and the poor girl ended up with this… puddle… of Seth drool… all over her shirt…"

"Took me a long time to live that one down… I can tell you… hey, are you okay? You don't smell right." He reached for her face and she felt hotter than she normally did to him.

He ran off to get one of the nurses. Laura came back with him and confirmed that Rose had a fever. It took them a little while to work out that she had contracted a urinary tract infection. It was probably from the catheter. Her mother confirmed that she was susceptible to them. The doctor authorised for her to be put in adult diapers instead.

He brought her Christmas lights even though it was not Christmas. He hung them right in front of her eyes. The nurses were amused by his efforts, but he told them that if Rose didn't want to see them she would have to shut her eyes.

She started to blink to stimulus.

It was a huge step.

It had been ten days since the accident. He knew if she stayed like this for thirty days or more, her recovery prospects deteriorated.

* * *

Seth didn't feel as un-sinkably happy as he used to. He still bounded into the hospital a complete force of nature; all happiness, zest and sunshine. He brought hope, noise and enthusiasm with him. But, that was only for a couple of hours a day. He was like an intense therapy session for Rose.

The rest of the time, and outside of the hospital, he had got more serious. He was darker. It was as if all his happiness went into those intense hospital sessions and he had none left over for himself.

He asked Quil for help. He started to do some work on weight lifting. Quil helped him without comment. He taught him how to use the heavy punching bag. Seth loved it. Some days he really felt like beating the shit out of something and now he could.

Quil didn't ask and Seth didn't tell him. He can't lift as much weight as Quil does, but he has something to work towards. It gave him an aim in his own life when so much else was a mess. He knew Quil had used all this stuff early on to work on his body with the aim of attracting more women. Seth didn't want women; he just wanted to lose some anger and some frustration.

He ran more. He usually ran into Forks to see Rose.

He took Pititchu for long runs. Quil worked at the ABC garage now and she liked to go running through the forest, so Seth repaid Quil for his weight training, by taking her for a run. He found her complete animal behaviour a refreshing change. He didn't want to be too human now anyway. Her mind was so uncomplicated when they were phased it was restful for him to share a mind with her. And because she was so wolf-like herself, she didn't ask about any stray too-human thoughts that crossed his mind while they were both phased.

He didn't realise that the workouts were adding more muscle mass to his frame. He had filled out and he had grown into that gangly body. He was as tall as Paul was now at 6ft 4.

He stopped hanging in the nightclubs; he stopped the casual sex. It all seemed pointless while Rose was lying in that hospital bed.

The pack all gave him a wide berth. His head was just full of the accident and his guilt. They gave him space and time; it was all they could do. But everyone was worried about him.

He did his patrols. He did his pack duties. It is his school work that he let slide.

Jake lectured him. He was missing school. Not handing in assignments.

Jake was upset.

Seth argued with him. "Don't give me that shit Jake, we all know we have a life sentence here," he said. "What does it matter?"

"Not all of us… **I do**… because I am the alpha and the heir to the chief… but there is no reason why **you** couldn't go to college if you wanted to."

"What?"

"You are smart enough Seth, but this behaviour… skipping school… this isn't smart… it's not_you_Seth. What the fuck is going on?"

Seth decided attack was the best form of defense. "What… are you going to alpha order me Jake?"

Jake's head pulled back sharply. "No Seth. You know I don't like doing that unless I really have to."

That was exactly what Seth was banking on. So, he missed that one, but it was a close call. He would have to be more careful in the future.

* * *

Bella asked Paul what they could do. "It's Seth," she tried to explain, "I mean **Seth**… he is usually so happy and so..." she struggles for a word, "…light-hearted. And now he is all sad and dark… it's just not right."

Paul hugged her. "I know baby. We can't do anything. He blames himself for the accident and this is his way of atoning, you know."

"Well I don't like it," she said, as if her opinion made a difference.

Paul chuckled. "It's a hard way to do it… but maybe he is just growing up. Something had to happen to make him join the real world."

Bella thought on Paul's history and just how fast he had to 'grow up', as he put it. "I guess you are right but there is just something wrong in a world with an unhappy Seth."

Seth quizzed the medic on the reservation, Charles Eastman, about coma patients, nursing and therapy strategies.

He avoided his mother. It was not hard as she lived in the Black house now. She was busy helping nurse Billy Black, doing her tribal council duties, working and spending any spare time with Charlie Swan. They were getting more serious every week.

He kind of missed her, but he didn't know how to talk to her about this. Maybe if he was living with her, she would have realised sooner that he was not happy; that he was not his usual self. But she didn't.

FF_2154210_ - 15/03/2011 01:19:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 30/08/2011 09:07:00 PM


	8. Tough decisions

**Chapter 8 Tough decisions**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

**AN: I know it is kind of sad to force Seth to grow up, but he is not the youngest wolf in the pack anymore. It made sense to me that he would deal with emotional issues in a physical way by working out more and that has a physical effect on him.**

* * *

Seth tried harder with his schoolwork; he handed in his assignments… they were not up to his usual standard, but they were done. Jake couldn't complain. Anything more than a pass was a waste of effort in his mind now.

It had been three weeks since the accident and one day as he walked into her room, Rose watched him. Her eyes followed him as he walked to the bed.

He was so ecstatic he kissed her on the forehead.

He crowed, "I saw that look; you watched me walk in the door. I am so proud of you," he told her.

He found one of those baby lamps that projected shapes onto the walls as they rotated. She watched the stars go around the room.

The nurses realised that he could lift her very easily. They started to let him hold her while they make the bed. He had her effortlessly tucked into his chest one day as Nurse Debra stripped the bed. She had the clean sheets there ready, but an alarm sounded somewhere and she ran out of the room.

She shouted that she will be back as she went.

Seth settled himself into the armchair with Rose on his lap. He was so happy. He could have put her down and tried to make the bed himself, but he was happier to sit with her. He whispered to her. It felt more intimate with her held against him. He told her he wanted her to wake up completely. He wanted to hear her voice. He wanted to hold her hand properly. To go for a walk together.

He can't resist. He kissed the side of her head and stroked her hair. It occurred to him that it was the side she hit on the window. He told her he was kissing it better.

Debra didn't make it back for a while. She explained it was an emergency.

Seth told her not to worry, he and Rose were fine.

"I bet you could carry me," she flirted with him after she had made the bed and she watched him lift Rose effortlessly back into it. "Come on," she teased, "show me and Rose your six pack." She leaned back against the side of the bed next to Rose and watched him expectantly.

Seth dutifully took his t-shirt off for them both. Rose blinked quickly. Debra put her hand over her heart. "Good gracious boy, if that isn't enough to bring her out of a coma; I do not know what is. Would you consider posing for a hospital charity calendar? You could be all twelve months. Seth in the snow; Seth in the Fall…"

"There's plenty more of this out on the rez," he told her with a laugh. "I am almost the runt of the litter."

Debra looked flabbergasted at that revelation.

The truth was that Seth just didn't see himself anymore; he didn't realise how much he had changed physically with his workouts.

* * *

**Tough decisions**

His wolf hearing allows him to hear if her mother or Raven was coming to visit. He usually just ran. Sometimes he can't avoid them, but he doesn't like to be in the room with them.

It was his guilt; he knew it was. But knowing what it was didn't help him deal with it.

He and Winona had settled into an easy exchange of news about Rose. The communication book worked well to allow that, without actually taking to each other. And they texted each other. They justified that seeing Rose separately gave her more overall stimulation time. It worked for them both.

Winona had some tough decisions to make. She can't stay in Forks. She had a husband and another child. She had a job; that she was close to losing. If she hadn't already lost it. It was not possible for her employer to keep her on the books and pay a casual to cover her and to do it for a long time. It might be better if she could give them a date that she will return, but everything rested on when Rose woke up properly. No one wanted to say 'if' Rose woke up properly.

Winona told Raven and Seth all of this one day in the corridor outside Rose's room. She didn't want to worry Rose by discussing it in her room where she could overhear. Her husband managed a bar in Deadwood; it was a big tourist town and he was good at what he does.

Raven said she will help as long as she was able to. Seth agreed. Winona cried.

Seth felt guiltier.

Winona said, "I have to talk to my husband about what we are going to do. I have to leave Rose here. She is well looked after here. She has made some improvements. Moving her may be an issue for her and I have no idea what the hospital is like in Deadwood. And besides we just can't afford to move her. The cost of a medical evacuation is ridiculous."

"I don't want to live in Neah Bay; it is almost impossible to run a business there and it is a dry reservation. No alcohol allowed. All we know is how to run a bar."

"What about Forks," suggested Seth.

She looked at him.

"It has a couple of bars, but they are not well run; owner operated. If you could come in with references to back you, they might give you a chance."

"You never know until you ask," said Raven, "we could go check it out after this. Go ask around. Test the water. Might give you some more options."

Winona got up to talk to Rose. Once she could blink and move her eyes, they started trying to use flash cards. Sometimes she could look at the 'yes' or 'no' card to indicate her answer. Not all the time, but it was another huge step.

"Rose, I have to go back to Deadwood. Will you be okay here with Seth and Raven?"

Answer: yes

Seth's heart leapt at that.

"I love you."

Answer: yes. Guess that counted for an 'I love you too'.

Raven was watching him. "Bars huh," she snorted. "How old are you again Seth?"

"Seventeen, nearly eighteen," he blustered. He knew the drinking age was 21 in Washington State so being eighteen would make no difference at all but he tried to make himself as old as possible.

Raven humphed at him.

Winona left for Deadwood. She phoned Seth and the hospital for regular updates. So much for his big plan to avoid contact with Winona. He had to talk to her at least once a day now.

Winona filled Seth in on their family news. She told him they were moving but it will take some time to sell their house, arrange the move, find somewhere in Forks to rent and let their son, George finish the school year. Her husband Victor may have to stay with him if the house was sold quickly so that he could finish the school year and Winona could come back to Forks. Or maybe the other way around, they will have to see what happens.

Seth phoned Winona every day when he visited Rose and held the phone next to Rose's ear so that Winona could tell her all the news herself. Rose watched him as her mother's voice prattled away in her ears. She looked sad sometimes after the calls.

He had become so attuned to her moods that he knew when she was sad, too.

FF_2154210_ - 16/03/2011 01:18:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 30/08/2011 10:07:00 PM


	9. Rosemary

**Chapter 9 Rosemary**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Seth found that when he was out on patrol, he was always thinking about scents and what things he could take back to Rose for her to smell.

Jake finally lost it with him when he spent most of one patrol with his tail up in the air, snuffling about in the undergrowth.

_Jake: what the __**fuck **__are you doing Seth?_

_Seth: trying to find things that smell good… that smell strong… for Rose… you know._

_Jake: for Rose?_

_Seth: yeah … she has her eyes open now… so I thought maybe she can smell stuff too… that it would help to stimulate her senses_

Wolf Jake just stared at him.

_Seth: I took her in some cedar branches once… she seemed to like it_

Wolf Jake looked like he was actually thinking about that.

_Jake: rosemary… there's a rosemary patch … it's in the yard of this old ruined house… you know the one? That stuff stinks._

_Seth: that's a great idea… can we go get some now?_

_Jake: sure, sure… I'll show you where it is…_

The two ran off together on their little side job.

_Seth: oh my god this stuff tastes horrible… I am never going to get the taste out of my mouth…_

_Jake: laughs… she won't mind the wolf slobber?_

_Seth: I'll clean it up before I give it to her… can I run in now and give it to her? While its still fresh?_

_Jake:_shook his head_… sure, sure_

Seth was already gone before Jake remembered it was the middle of the night. He sent Seth a thought that it was pretty late. Seth said Rose wouldn't care.

He phased back in the forest behind the hospital, slipped his cut-offs on and rinsed the rosemary under a faucet in the hospital garden. He shook it off to dry it.

He waited at the locked external door until the night security guard saw him and buzzed him in. He had made sure to be friendly with the guy before, just in case. He sneaked into the ward, dressed only in the cut-offs and padded quietly through the darkened corridors in his bare feet with the giant sprig in his hand. He found her room easily.

He let himself into her room; none of the nurses saw him.

"Rose," he whispered. "Are you awake?"

She blinked rapidly when he turned on a lamp. He shoved the rosemary into her hand and under her nose. He crushed the leaves and the room reeked of it. He chatted for a while but then he told her he had to go home and go to bed. And then he just left. He sneaked past the nurses' station without them seeing him.

The next day, when he came to visit, she shut her eyes at him. He noticed most of the rosemary was gone. There was only a small sprig of it left.

Rose still had her eyes shut.

"Are you shitty with me?" he asked her. He could pick up on her mood.

"Really? You **are** shitty with me. Why? What did I do?"

He chuckled. "Did I frighten you? Sneaking into your room in the middle of the night."

She kept her eyes shut. She wouldn't look at him. He poked her in the hand to see if she reacted.

Nurse Laura came into the room and greeted Rose. "Are you the rosemary fairy Seth?" she asked him.

"Why?" he was cautious.

"My goodness," Laura exclaimed, "the whole room reeked of it. I doubt poor Rose here got any sleep. It was so strong."

When Laura had left, he leaned over the bed; his arms folded across his chest. "So you are shitty because I cut into your beauty sleep, huh? So what are you going to do about it?"

He swore she rolled her eyes.

He stepped up the scent campaign. He thought that if the rosemary upset her, she must be sensitive to smell. He brought her other herbs. Bunches of basil, sage and oregano. He bought scented lotions made from essential oils and rubbed them into the skin of her arms. He used tiger balm on her. It smelt really strongly and made the skin underneath feel warm too. He left packets of coffee beans and stinky candles on her bedside table. The nurses drew the line at incense after he lit some and smoked out the whole place and nearly set the fire alarms going.

Rose had to be moved into a ward. Her parents couldn't afford the private room any more. They wanted to move her to a quiet, secluded corner, but Seth argued she should have _more_ stimulation not less. She was hardly going to disturb anyone else, he argued. She was under 18 and wore nappies; she should be in with the other babies. He swore she rolled her eyes again. The nurses respected his opinion. He had helped her immensely; they could see the difference his visits made to her.

So they put her in the children's ward. It was pretty noisy. With babies crying at night and other children making noise, running around and squealing as they visited their siblings. The hospital was so small, it was all the same nursing staff so the only thing that really changed was her location.

She improved faster. Perhaps it was the extra stimulation; perhaps she was so annoyed she just wanted to get out of there faster. Either way, it worked.

Seth stepped up the physical therapy and he had long discussions with the hospital physical therapist. He sat in on a few lectures. He was intelligent and a quick learner. The therapist was truly impressed by him. They worked out a program for her and Seth made sure she did it. Lots of resistance work; moving her limbs and pushing against Seth. He was endlessly patient with her.

He brought her stinky mushrooms he found in the forest. Even the nurses complained about that one.

She sneezed one day and he was ecstatic.

Seth decided next he should try a taste campaign. He started to stick things on her tongue so that she could taste them. Lemon juice, honey… vanilla… strong flavours … but not enough to choke her.

He put Vicks vapour rub under her nose.

One day she had a really sulky day. She was unco-operative and she fought with him about everything. She wouldn't do her exercises and she wouldn't try anything new. The weather was horrible and rainy and he supposed that made it worse.

He told her off. He told her that she could not just lie there and give up; he would not let her. He pinched her arm when she ignored him and her hand moved. He lifted her arm so that she could see it react and put his hand next to hers. He copied the movement and told her to do it again. She closed her eyes. He pinched her again. She glared at him. He made her do that one tiny movement over and over until it became a larger movement. He encouraged and cajoled and when she was finally exhausted, he kissed her on the forehead and told her he was so proud of her.

He made videos on his phone of every tiny step she took and sent them to her mother. She knew they were for her mother and she tried really hard for him. She could move her head a little now.

She was sad one day and he asked her if he could hug her. She blinked. He took that as a 'yes'. He scooped her up, sat back on the bed and held her on his lap again. They sat quietly and watched the other kids in the ward. He squeezed her hand. She squeezed his back. He was frozen.

She made other small steps forward. She could eat from a spoon now.

It was a big step for her in personal dignity. It was bad enough to have to wear nappies, but to be fed from a tube? Ugh. It was more evidence that the muscles in her throat were working when her brain told them to; it was a good sign.

Seth told Rose she had to talk. He wanted to know about her.

"You know all about me," he said. "Well maybe not all my deepest, darkest secrets… but still."

He sat at the end of her bed, facing her and pulled her feet into his lap. He massaged them with scented lotion. His long legs stretched down either side of hers. The nurses all said they were jealous and asked when he was going to do their feet; they were on them all day. They would kill for a foot massage. They flirted and teased him and Rose watched.

* * *

**A woman on a mission**

Raven saw Seth dart out of the room one day; she suspected he was avoiding her. She wondered why.

She asked Embry exactly how often Seth was visiting Rose. He got that trapped look on his face. A look of silent terror.

Raven asked, "Who do I have to talk to on the tribal council?"

"Huh?"

"Don't play clueless with me, boy."

"What are you going to do about it?" What possessed him to say that? He did tower over her, but still… he knew her better than that.

"I'll ask you politely to bend down so that I can smack you upside the head. Or I will get a **chair**," she threatened him.

"Huh," he said. He believed her. "Old Quil," he said. "Or maybe Billy Black." He had learnt not to pick fights with her; like with Rachel.

"Right," she said. She literally hiked up her sleeves, it looked like she was readying for battle, to Embry.

He wondered if Billy was about to meet his match. And should he phone him and warn him?

FF_2154210_ - 16/03/2011 09:22:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 12:08:00 AM


	10. Raven takes on the chief

**Chapter 10 Raven takes on the chief**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

**AN: some readers have asked about Rose's recovery rate - I did a lot of research on coma patients – we all have an image from television that they just wake up and they are 100% okay – this is not true – go figure, who would think television would lie…? 10% just don't wake up, for a start - There are various levels of coma and it sometimes takes a very long time for them to regain control of their muscles, to be able to breathe, swallow, speak and do 'normal' things again – at any rate, back to the story…**

* * *

Raven knocked sharply at Billy Black's door. Sue opened it and welcomed her warmly; invited her in for tea and cake.

They made small talk for a while, and then Raven looked at the two of them as she sat there at the kitchen table with her mug of tea.

"So," she said, "You are Jake's father and you," she looked at Sue, "are Seth and Leah's mother."

"Yes, that's right," Sue answered brightly. She had met Raven before and she knew she was staying with Embry and Rachel. She had no idea what Raven wanted, but she was determined to be polite.

"And you are both on the tribal council of the Quileute?"

"Raven, what is this about?" asked Billy.

"Cut straight to the point huh?"

"Billy is our Chief," Sue reminded her tactfully.

"Aah, I didn't know that. So that makes Jake…"

Billy nodded.

Raven slid her sleeves up. If Embry were here, he would have warned them to duck.

"Okay, **Chief**," she said. It didn't sound respectful.

Billy blinked. Sue looked horrified.

"Tell me what the hell is going on with those boys."

"The boys?" asked Sue. Billy said nothing.

"Embry, Jake, Paul, Quil… the rest of them… there is absolutely no way those boys are normal."

Silence.

"Right, so it's going to be like that," Raven stated. "I guess I will just have to tell you what I know…"

And then she started…

"Besides the obvious things like the ridiculous amount of food they eat… they have a body temperature that is so high a normal person would be dead… they do not seem to feel the cold… they move like ballet dancers… I mean that in a good way… they have a physicality that just oozes out of them… they **all** have extraordinary bodies… I just do not have the words for how they move… or how they look… it's like they have extra vertebrae or something… and if they are together they all move at the same time… its breathtaking… they don't even seem aware that they do it… all their heads turn at something no one else has heard… they look and move like a well trained team of **something**… I don't know what they are… but they are a team… and the deference they show to Jacob and Sam… they are both so young and they wear a tangible aura of authority… I know Sam is a little older… but not much older…"

She drew a breath.

"When Embry came up to Neah Bay to visit me that first time, he went jogging, shoeless in the dark… the DARK… his eyesight and his hearing are extraordinary… and that sense of smell? He can smell if I have been baking from miles away… I swear he moves inhumanely fast on occasion… I saw him pick up one of my grandchildren who had run into the back of him… which by the way must have been like running into a brick wall… he turned and picked that child up, BEFORE he hit the ground … it is **not** normal… how on earth my stupid daughter **cannot** see it when she lived with him every single day is beyond me…" [Who's your daddy? chapter 30]

She finally ground to halt. Sue's face was ashen but Billy had a glint of amusement in his eye.

"I like you Raven," he said.

"Answer the bloody question," she barked at him.

"I didn't see a question," said Billy, "unless it was the part about your daughter not seeing what is right in front of her."

"Humph," said Raven. "She never did see anything she didn't want to see."

Billy gave Raven one of his trademark assessing looks; the ones that made even Paul spill his guts. She didn't even blink.

Raven spoke, "This is my grandson. I adore him. You can rely on my discretion."

Billy nodded. He had made his decision.

He gave Raven the abbreviated version of the tribal legends.

She looked at Sue and reached for her arm. She gave her a gentle squeeze, "Oh Sue," she said sympathetically, "and you have two of them?"

Sue's eyes filled as she managed to nod.

"Your boy is hurting," Raven told her.

"Seth?" she sounded devastated.

"He's in trouble… there is something going on with that girl at the hospital… Rose Hoburn… he is there for hours every single day... he is doing nothing else… the boys know and they can't help him… he needs his mother now…"

Sue gave Billy a panicked glance.

"Go," he said.

He and Raven sat there and looked at each other.

* * *

**Mums**

Rose said her first word. It was 'Mum'. Winona was chatting away on the phone to her as Seth held it next to her ear for her and she spoke. Winona cried so hard, she couldn't talk any more and Seth had to listen to her cry as he looked at Roses' worried eyes.

"Rose is worried about you, Winona," he told her into the phone. The he tried to comfort Rose too. "Your Mum is just happy that you are getting better, that's all… that's why she is crying," he explained to Rose, "They are happy tears, I am sure they are… don't worry."

He waited until he was running home to cry himself. He wailed and howled in some deserted patch of the forest. And then he punched a tree until his hand bled. He knew it was a good thing; a forward step, but he just couldn't explain why it had distressed him so badly.

When he got home his mother was there. He was so distressed after the day and the forest that he couldn't speak to her. His face looked ravaged.

She didn't ask. She just cleaned and bandaged his hand after pulling out more than a few splinters, and then she pulled him onto her lap on the lounge as if were still the little boy who always went to her lap for comfort.

He managed to curl himself into her chest with his long legs off to the side. She patted him on the back, held him close and stroked his hair off his forehead, the way he always liked her to do when he was little. He closed his eyes and his breathing started to even out.

"What's the problem, Sethy?" she eventually asked him.

"There's this girl…" he started.

He told her everything. The one thing he still couldn't really explain was why he had felt he had to be on that stretch of road at that particular time. In all the strain of trying to look after Rose on his own, he had completely forgotten that his own mother was a trained nurse. She had lots of ideas and advice for him about coma patients.

She said they could go and get some of this scented dough for her. She had found it really useful because it helped with a lot of things. It would not set until you baked it, so if you made a mistake you could start again; it would work her fingers and her fine motor skills; the texture felt different; the smell would be a stimulus and she was being artistic. It was all good.

She asked him where she had banged her head. It made a difference because different areas of the brain controlled different things.

She explained to him that he was probably emotionally exhausted too. He must feel like he was all Rose had and while he was clearly important to her, he wasn't alone. She knew Raven was helping; she would help him now and he was a big dummy for not asking her before.

"Seth, if you really like this girl, don't you think she likes you too? But you have to be very careful with her; her emotions will be extremely varied at the moment. Make sure your emotional involvement is returned before you cross any lines."

"Do you know what really worries me Mum? That she will never forgive me for causing the accident in the first place. I just don't know what will happen when she finds out it was all my fault."

He looked so concerned. "She might hate me," he whispered.

"Seth, I am proud of you because even though you believe you hurt this girl, you have stepped up to help her. You could have run away. You could have had nothing to do with her. But you are visiting her and you are helping her and you are doing it every single day. When she heals, all your effort will count for something. I am sure that it will."

"I sure hope so," he admitted.

"Is she your imprint Seth?" Sue the mother wanted to know that answer as well as Sue the Tribal Council member.

"I don't know… I don't think so… I mean it's not as if I can tell how she feels about me… but I didn't get any of that centre of the universe, steel cable crap like the other imprinted wolves all rave on about… I just knew I had to be on that stretch of highway… I didn't even know when to be there… I had been going there for weeks before… I don't know what it means. I just know I have to help her now."

When Sue got back to the Black house, she filled Billy in on everything she and Seth had discussed. They had quite a conversation about why it was this particular girl who had captured Seth's interest; even if she wasn't his imprint.

FF_2154210_ - 18/03/2011 04:37:00 AM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 12:15:00 AM


	11. Grandma meets the big bad wolf

**Chapter 11 Grandma meets the big bad wolf**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

**AN: thanks to eskimogirl58 for sending me the details on how to update while fanfic was crashing - you owe her -**

* * *

Raven was waiting for Embry when he got home from the garage. She was staying with them in the apartment they had built behind the ABC garage. Rachel was in the kitchen cooking dinner. It was her turn tonight; they took turns cooking. Embry had discovered that the second best thing to eating all that food was cooking it. He was actually pretty good at it too and getting better all the time. Rachel was hugely impressed by his growing culinary skills. He laughed that all his fights with Quil over the Iron Chef had proved useful after all.

No doubt, that extraordinary sense of smell and taste helped too.

Raven was too quiet; it worried him.

"You okay Gran?" he asked her solicitously. "Stressful day at the hospital?" He perched on the edge of the lounge opposite her.

She put down her needlework in her lap. "I spoke to Billy Black today."

"And?" said Embry.

Rachel had come into the room at the mention of her father's name. She was watching them both.

"And he told me the truth." She shrugged. "I made it impossible for him not to," she admitted.

"I thought you might," said Embry. He had suspected she was going to upbraid Billy about something. She was no fool.

"The truth about what?" he checked.

"About you… and the other boys…"

Embry said nothing just in case she was fishing for the right response.

"About your… dual nature," she finished. She seemed satisfied with that as an answer.

"What is going on?" interrupted Rachel.

Raven looked at her. She didn't think Rachel was ignorant of what Embry was; there must be another issue she was unaware of.

"Can I see you, boy?" she asked him. "Can I see your wolf?"

Rachel rushed over and pushed between the two of them, as if she was physically protecting Embry. "Oh no," she said, "No, no, no… we are NOT doing this again."

"It's Gran," Embry argued from behind her back, "she'll be okay with it.

"NO Embry… it took me hours to put you back together again after the last time…"

Raven looked confused. Rachel looked a combination of worried to death and enraged.

"Rachel do you really think Raven is going to react like my mother?"

"Fuck's sake Embry," she swore. "You just keep hurting yourself… don't you?"

"Oh dear god," said Raven. "What happened?"

Rachel was now livid. "The fucking tribal council made him phase in front of his … mother." She sounded like she wanted to call her something else. "To bring her into the big secret. It would be polite to say that she did not react well… she left her son a sobbing heap on the floor… while she **ran**… she ran away from him and left him there…" [Who's your daddy? Chapter 24]

Embry looked embarrassed. Raven looked furious. She rose to her feet, tossing down her needlework onto the vacated chair.

"Rachel, am I _anything_ like my daughter?"

Rachel didn't reply; she was still barricading Embry behind her.

"I listed to Billy all the things that make these boys so different from normal boys; so **special**… things my own daughter can't even see because she is so busy not being able to see past the nose on her face and clearly doesn't want to see when it happens right in front of her."

Rachel still looked like she was going to fight about it. Embry smiled at Raven over Rachel's head.

"I am an old woman Rachel and I would like to see just how special my extraordinary grandson is. Please give me that," Raven pleaded.

Rachel stood there for a beat and then she stepped forward and hugged her. Embry heaved a sigh of relief.

"Will you hold my hand, in case I get a shock?" Raven asked Rachel.

Embry grinned. He knew damn well Raven would be completely fine; she just wanted Rachel with her. It was more for Rachel's benefit than for Ravens.

They trooped out the back door and into the forest. They found a clear spot inside the tree line and Embry started taking his clothes off.

"Do you want to cover your eyes Gran?" he asked mischievously.

"I had five children you know," she reminded him. "Nothing I haven't seen before."

He turned his back in any case.

"Good lord, girl," said Raven to Rachel. "That is all yours?"

"Oh yes," she agreed, "for ever … didn't they tell you about that?" Raven shook her head.

"They mate for life… one look and they are done..." She grinned at Embry.

"Yeah, yeah… stick a fork in me…," he agreed.

"I wonder…," said Raven. Clearly, she had just thought of something. "So has Seth … what did you call it? Mated for life… with the Hoburn Girl?"

"He says 'no' and he knows what all the other guys experienced, so I have to assume he knows what he is talking about," Embry answered.

She chuckled. "So does that mean that sexy Paul is just all talk?"

"He is _now_, but he was quite the ladies man before he imprinted on Bella," said Embry. "It's habit nowadays. Bella seems to understand that and she trusts him."

"It's a wonder; he slept with half of Forks and Port Angeles from what I hear," added Rachel. "The female halves," she added.

"Wow," said Raven, "that is quite an effort. But from the look of him, I would guess that if he offered, not too many women would say 'no'."

"Hey, can we get on with this, I'm naked here," Embry reminded them. He had his hands tucked over his package now.

Raven chortled. "As if you'd get cold, with that ridiculous body temperature..."

Rachel laughed.

"Are you ladies ready?" he asked.

Raven reached for Rachel's hand.

Embry phased.

Raven was speechless.

Rachel watched her, she had seen Embry phase before and she was more interested in Raven's reaction. She stood there with her mouth open. She took a tentative step towards him. Rachel went with her.

"He's beautiful," she said. "And **so**big." His head came up almost to her shoulder. She reached out a hand to his head. "His eyes are still his eyes … does that make sense?"

"I know what you mean," said Rachel. "I'll tell you something else; he's the skinny one of the pack."

"Good lord," said Raven.

Wolf Embry tilted his head at his imprint.

"Sorry Honey," Rachel apologised, "Sleek; Embry is _sleek_."

Wolf Embry nodded his head.

"Jake is massive," she added. She sounded just the littlest bit proud.

Embry rolled his wolf eyes.

"How do they communicate?" asked Raven.

Embry yipped.

"Other than that… they have some pack mind thing; shared thoughts." Rachel explained.

Raven walked all around him, touching and rubbing him as she went. She chuckled again. "I know better than to pull his tail, but it's tempting," she said.

Wolf Embry growled.

She put her hands up in a gesture of surrender. "Okay, no tail pulling."

She stood in front of him now. "You are spectacular Embry Call," she told him and kissed him on the end of his wolf nose. He licked her face.

Embry sniffed at the air and barked at Rachel.

"Oh fuck me," swore Rachel, "I forgot dinner." She ran back towards the house.

Raven watched Embry phase back and put his pants on.

She was beaming at him.

"I can die happy now," she said.

"Hey, no talk of dying," Embry chastised her as he hugged her. "I love you Gran."

They went back inside together.

They ate around the ruined parts of dinner. Embry told the story about imprinting on Rachel. How he had kissed her, torn all his clothes off and then turned into a wolf right in front of her on the beach. Raven laughed so hard at the image of Rachel checking out her brother's wolf balls, she cried.

She begged them to stop before she wet herself.

FF_2154210_ - 19/03/2011 02:17:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 12:20:00 AM


	12. Zev

**Chapter 12 Zev**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

The next day Rose said 'Seth'; at least he thought that was what she said. The ss made it hard for her to say clearly. It sounded a bit like 'Zev', but he would take it.

She looked at his swollen hand where he had punched the tree and she almost frowned at him. Thank goodness, she didn't see it last night. It had healed a lot since then.

"I was upset," he explained.

She blinked.

"I can't tell you," he said. "Not right now."

Her eyes looked hurt at that. She closed them and won't look at him.

"I can't tell you… you know I tell you everything… but I can't tell you this… not right now…maybe later…"

Her eyes stayed firmly closed.

"Look I know this is really hard for you… I don't think your mother told you her reasoning for leaving you here… did she?"

No response from Rose.

"Okay…" he sighed. "…the cost to do a medical evacuation for you from here to Deadwood would be $5,700 for every 17 miles… if they use air transport it would start at $20,000… plus the cost of the ambulance at each end … they can't afford that… and they worry about moving you… you are getting better here… if they move you and you regress… even if the hospital is better… moving you is such a big risk to take… if you go backwards… your parents will never forgive themselves… they are moving the entire family here to be with you… because it is the right thing to do for **you**…"

She opened her eyes. She looked guilty.

"It's not your fault…"

He held her hand, rubbed across her knuckles and stared at her hand. He felt an overwhelming urge to tell her he caused the accident. But, she had become the centre of his life and he didn't want to lose that. He also worried that if there was no one to do what he did for her, she wouldn't get any better. He had to make sure she got better.

She could hate him later.

"It must have been so weird for you to wake up and find me here… trying to help you… when you didn't really know me…"

She rolled her eyes.

"Yeah… well… you know me now…"

He resisted the urge to tell her the truth again.

He made a decision to tell her when she was better.

"I will make a deal with you," he offered, "I will tell you when you why I was upset when you are one hundred percent better; walking, talking, the whole deal." He looked at her face. She looked doubtful.

He knew what she was worried about. "Don't be silly… you can do it… and now you have a reason… you can learn all my deepest darkest secrets." He looked suddenly serious, "I would tell you everything," he promised her. _"Everything,"_ he repeated.

"You have to squeeze my hand if you agree… no more flash cards… you can say 'yes' or you can squeeze my hand… this is a one time offer," he encouraged. "You can do it… come on."

It took her some time, but she managed both.

He was ecstatic and kissed her forehead again.

Nurse Evelyn caught him doing it. "Seth is there something you haven't told us?" she teased. "You falling in love with this girl?" she asked.

He just blushed and didn't answer her, but Evelyn kept staring at him.

"She said 'yes'," Seth blustered; anything to get Evelyn to stop staring at him.

"You asked her if you could kiss her," Evelyn cackled.

"Well… no ... we were talking about something else and she said 'yes'… she can say my name too… at least I think it is …" he blustered again.

"Hmmm," said Evelyn. She looked down at Rose. "Is that right girl? Is he telling me the truth?"

They waited for a minute or so.

Rose's face twisted with the effort. "Yeth," she managed.

"Uh huh," said Evelyn. She got a rascally look on her face. "Did you want him to kiss you?"

"Yeth," said Rose, she drooled a lot with that one and Evelyn matter of factly wiped it up with a tissue.

"Can you say anything else other than 'yes'?" Evelyn asked, and then she cackled with laughter and patted her hand. "Don't answer that one; it's a trick question."

"Zev," said Rose.

"Oh… you're a tricky one, aren't you girl?" She laughed as she walked away.

Rose stared at him.

"What?" he asked her and blushed again.

* * *

**Angry****day**

Another day she was having a really bad day. She was angry. She was angry with him and uncooperative about everything. She fought him over the simplest thing.

The weather was appalling again and the air crackled with static electricity.

Seth lost it and shouted at her.

"I am trying so hard here, Rose," he shouted. "You cannot just push me away."

There was a crack of lightning that seemed to frighten Rose, it was so close.

"Why," she said. Her vocabulary was slowly acquiring more words.

"Why am I here? Why am I helping you? Why do I care?" Seth was losing it and he knew he was, but he couldn't stop it.

He paced back and forth in the gap between the bed and the window. He was so close to telling her everything, but he couldn't. He knew she would withdraw from him and he wanted her to get better. Fix her body and then break her heart?

He decided to stick with the Leah version of the story; like she told the nurses the first day he came to visit Rose. "My sister, Leah… you remember Deputy Clearwater?"

Rose blinked.

"She was the first officer at the scene of your accident. She said that it really touched her." Well that was true; that was exactly what she had told the nurses the first time he was here. And she was the first officer at the scene, but not the first person; so that was not totally a lie. "She asked me to look after you… because she worried about you…" That one was a lie.

He looked at her face. She looked doubtful.

He continued; he could not stop the words coming out of his mouth. He had verbal vomit. "And now I worry about you, too," he said in a very small voice. "If I don't come and help you; you might not get better. Your mum is not here and you would be all by yourself. I don't want you to be all by yourself."

She looked… disappointed.

She turned her head away. There was another crack of thunder from the approaching storm. What had he done wrong? Why was she disappointed? What did she want from him?

Then he remembered her reaction to him taking his shirt off, and he remembered that the second word she had said was his name, and she had told Nurse Evelyn she wanted him to kiss her. Plus, his mother had warned him about emotional involvement after accidents.

She liked him. Of course she did. He was an idiot not to have thought of it before.

"And I like you," he watched for her reaction. That was the truth.

Her head turned back towards him slowly. She looked hopeful now.

"I really like you."

She blinked. They stared at each other.

He sat on the edge of her bed, facing her. He leant forward and brushed his hand down her cheek.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked tentatively.

She blinked. "Yeth," she said.

He brushed his lips against hers. Her lips barely moved against his. But, they did move. His head pulled away and he looked into her eyes. She beamed at him.

He brushed her cheek again. She smiled.

"Besides," he added, "it's cool to have a girl who doesn't hog the conversation all the time."

She rolled her eyes and made a grunt noise.

After that, Seth started to use kisses as rewards and Rose made some great leaps ahead.

The hospital was very concerned about this, but they checked with her mother and she just sagely said, she thought that might happen. She also argued that if it helped Rose it was okay. The nurses all vouched for him, stating that he had not abused his position of trust with her before now and that she was awake and speaking enough to confirm that it was what she wanted. The hospital made Winona sign something so she couldn't sue them. Seth had no idea this was all happening behind the scenes.

He started trying to get her to walk. His strength and tirelessness were invaluable here. He thought he would carry her everywhere but she needed to walk by herself. It was so frustrating for her to have to relearn everything. It was a slow process. He could support her so easily with his increased strength. She didn't seem to realise how much upper body strength it took to hold her upright away from his body so that she could 'walk'.

They practiced walking ever day; up and down the corridors at the hospital.

Rose could now go to the bathroom by herself. Seth walked or carried her in if she has worn herself out, left her, came back and gets her when she asked him to. Oddly, it was an intimacy most couples have never reached.

They worked on her speech. She grunted one day and every time she did, Seth would grunt back at her. It became a game with them grunting at each other like monkeys.

She got tired really easily.

She and Seth giggled like loons when he had to teach her to brush her teeth again. She could get dressed now and sit in a chair by the window.

Her speech improved daily.

Raven started Rose on some needle work. Bargello or something she called it. She just needed to follow one line of stitching that Raven had started for her with a different colour. Big mesh, with a big needle and thick wool so that it was easy for her to hold. She had to count squares and think about where the next stitch went, plus it made her try hard with her fine motor skills. Raven would encourage her, sit, and natter away about her grandchildren. And thread needles when she needed her to.

Rose had days where she would forget things. She would get so frustrated when she couldn't think of the right word. Alternatively, she forgot what she was doing or saying in the middle of it.

Sue explained to Seth that the right front part of her brain controlled a number of things... spatial relationships, art, music, emotions and intuition. It was the right front part of her head that she had banged on the window of the car. It also held the controls for the opposite side of her body. So her physical movements on the left side of her body may be affected.

She had one very bad day where the nurses had to restrain her before she hurt herself. They knew the best solution was to phone Seth. He came as fast as he could run. It was pouring with rain again, but he ran in to the hospital ward with no shoes on and wearing wet cut offs. He didn't even stop to try to ask her what was wrong; he just undid the restraints, scooped her up and held her against his naked chest. He bound her in his arms and she tried to fight him but he was just too strong. He just rocked her and crooned at her.

Eventually the fit ended, she stopped trying to fight him and she just cried.

Cried and cried as if her heart was breaking.

Afterwards, he tried to ask what had started it and she could barely explain. Something she had forgotten. Something that was important to her. It was worse now that she couldn't even remember what it was.

He asked his mum and she looked a little worried and then she explained about long term issues for coma recovery patients. She told him about absence seizures. They sounded serious to him.

Sue told him that a person suffering from these will not lose normal body posture; they don't slump or fall over, and they may appear to be staring into space with or without jerking or twitching movements of their eye muscles to give it away. These periods can last for seconds, or much longer. Those experiencing absence seizures sometimes move from one location to another without any purpose. They could just wander off in the middle of a seizure.

That sounded dangerous to Seth.

They started having to write everything down for Rose. Seth found an old filofax and they transferred all the little notes, scribbled phone numbers, and website addresses into it. They called it her 'control journal'. It held everything; usernames, passwords, phone numbers, names, appointment times, everything. She joked that it was her black leather brain and shouldn't it really be pinker. Seth pointed out that brains were more of a grey colour and Rose gave him a very odd look.

Memory triggers like lists helped. She had a morning plan that actually listed: get up, get dressed, put your shoes on, eat breakfast, check the calendar and take your medicine. Systematically, so she did not forget anything. Seth had laminated it and she used a dry erase marker to tick things off. She had to relearn stuff that used to be habitual.

She just could not rely on her brain to remember for her. She had another plan for afternoon and evening.

They had to keep reminding her what day it was and that she had been in a car accident. She kept forgetting. Seth thought that was weird.

He found a big wall calendar with lots of space in the boxes and Rose took pride in writing in her achievements, using coloured stickers like rewards and 'X'ing off the days as they passed. At least she was right handed so she was getting her writing back up to par.

Seth made her read aloud to him; he said she owed him, but it worked her speech, and thought patterns.

Their romance, such as it was, did not progress beyond handholding and some chaste kissing. Seth didn't want to take advantage. Her health was his main priority.

FF_2154210_ - 23/03/2011 06:04:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 12:29:00 AM


	13. Victor

**Chapter 13 Victor**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Winona told Rose that they had finally sold the house in Deadwood and everything was in place for the family to move to Forks. Rose's father had got a job and she herself, had a few interviews lined up. When she could not talk back, Rose's father Victor had trouble talking to her on the phone, but once she had started to speak, he enthusiastically spoke to her every day. He told her lots of funny stories about the people in the bar where he worked.

Seth thought he sounded rather cool.

Seth was on his own more with Rose now, as Raven had gone home. Rose had improved so much; she didn't need extra people to be with her now. Seth stayed because he wanted to and because Rose wanted him to.

Her parents would be moving back and they could look after her now. They could also take her out of the hospital if everyone signed off on it, of course. She would still need a lot of therapy but it could be done out patient style.

The physical therapist told Seth that he had a gift for it and that he should consider doing it for a career. He told him about some of the courses that were available. He would need to go to university to be a full therapist. However, there was a two-year course for a physical therapist's assistant, if he would prefer that. Courses were also available on-line.

He sat in on some lectures to see if he could cope and he thought that he could.

Now he had a reason to study hard at school. Jake was so pleased.

Washington state uni was one of the best in the country for physical therapy courses. And it was not that far away as the course was based in Seattle.

* * *

The Hoburns rented a house in Forks. Victor had got a new job at one of the bars in town. It was not nearly as much money as he used to earn but they were fatalistic. Rose was getting better and that was their main priority now. The bar was excited to get a manager of his experience for the salary they could offer. Their son George would start at Forks high school.

Seth met Victor at the hospital. He reminded him of that big barrel-chested actor Brian Dennehy, but much younger of course. He was not Makah. He was nearly Seth's height, maybe 6ft 2 but was a much bigger man physically. They did the hard handshake man thing and Seth didn't blink. Victor grinned at him. Seth suspected Victor was quite capable of doing his own bouncing at the bar.

Rose was ecstatic to see her father and hugged him for a very long time.

Seth pretended he needs to go to the bathroom to give them some privacy.

"So you are Rose's Seth?" Victor asked.

Seth smiled at her, "Yes, I am," he agreed. 'Rose's Seth' it made him feel warm inside.

"I understand from the hospital that we owe you some thanks," he continued in his big gruff voice.

"Oh, it's okay. She needed some company and…" he couldn't continue. His throat felt hot and tightened up at the thought that he had caused the accident and she wouldn't have ever needed his 'help' if he hadn't hurt her in the first place. He prayed to whatever gods are listening that this man doesn't beat the pulp out of him if he ever finds out he caused the accident. That would hurt.

"Seth has been a huge help; he never let me skip anything. He makes me do all my exercises too." Rose squeezed his hand.

He squeezed her hand back and swallowed down the lump in his throat.

* * *

**Weird****weather**

Seth was watching Rose with something bordering on concern. She was almost having a fully-fledged panic attack. It had been brought on by the news that she could leave the hospital.

Seth had never thought that it would be an issue for her. He had thought she would be pleased to go home. He thought that was what it was all about; getting her well enough to go home.

"I thought that was what this is all about," he said. "Getting you well enough so that you can go home?"

"How will I cope?" she asked Then she just launched into a stream of questions. Her voice rising with each and sounding more panicked. "I know everyone here… they look after me… who is going to look after me?... I don't think I can be alone… I haven't been alone for weeks… what if I fall?... What if I hurt myself?"

She was winding herself up and Seth started looking from her to the storm gathering outside the window, to her and back again. She finally realised he was not giving her his full attention.

"Seth?" she asked tentatively.

"Man, check it out… that storm just literally blew up out of nowhere… I mean the sky was actually clear for once and then whammo…" he shook his head. "The weather around here is nuts."

She started trying to take deep breaths; she rubbed her hands up and down her thighs.

"Look Rose," he comforted her. "I know it's a big thing for you to leave the hospital. I understand that, but you aren't going anywhere too strange. You're going home to your family, Rose. They have literally moved states to be here with you and you have to take the next step and be with them. It is a different house and that is all; it's them… and you know them. And all your stuff will be there too."

She appeared to be doing her breathing exercises and trying to calm herself.

He continued when she didn't answer him.

"I will be around and I can always come and be with you whenever you want… the hospital is not going anywhere and we can come back and visit everyone if that would make you happy… would that make you happy? I mean we have to come back for your outpatient visits anyway... so it's not a big deal…"

He started glancing out the window again as the storm curiously receded. He looked at Rose and his faces furrowed in concentration. He started to think.

It was that particular instance that made Seth start to notice the link between Rose's moods and the weather. Especially the storms. He started to think back over when she had stress episodes and fits, and he tried to remember what the weather was like when she did.

He started to watch for it and he realised it was not just a coincidence.

He was not sure how to ask her about it, though. He had a vague recollection of Leah saying something about Rose having an appointment with the Makah tribal council to discuss something odd that had happened to her. She had never made it, of course.

FF_2154210_ - 25/03/2011 01:42:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 12:39:00 AM


	14. The New House

**Chapter 14 the New house**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

**AN: so now the title of the story makes sense, huh? And the symbol of the Makah is the thunderbird – just saying...**

* * *

Seth decided he liked the Hoburn's new house. Like many places in Forks, the forest backed onto their back yard. They had rented a house in cul-de-sac with about five others, splayed around in a circle. The back yard itself was just a flat piece of mown grass.

Rose was standing looking out the back window at the forest. "It's creepy."

"What is?"

"The forest. I mean… it is right there… so close to the house… like anything could just step out of the forest and straight into our yard… into our world… you know."

Seth gave her a sharp look. "It's not really a different world, you know. You really are a desert girl, aren't you?"

She gave him the duh look.

He took her by the hand. "Let me show you," he encouraged.

"Show me what?"

"The forest."

"Gee Seth, I don't know…"

"Come on…" he tugged her with him. He checked her footwear first. She had runners on; it would have to do. "We'll have to buy you some proper hiking boots."

"Hiking boots," she was incredulous.

He led her into the forest. She noticed how carefully he walked and how soundlessly; twigs don't even seem to snap under his feet. She clung tightly to his hand.

"Is that a native thing… the way you move so quietly? I swear anything could hear me coming a mile away…"

He looked caught out for a second, and then he smiled. "Yeah… it's a native thing… but what's your excuse?" he asked her mischievously.

She chuckled. "Some kind of Makah I am," she laughed. "Can't even walk through the forest. Would that be my tribal name? She who thunders through forest?"

Seth laughed with her. "No way… that would be Bella's name. She is the most clutzy person I have ever met. I mean she has other redeeming features, but the woman could trip on a piece of flat lino."

"I am keeping the thunder name. Bella can be 'she who trips on lino'."

"I will tell her that," threatened Seth.

"I will have to meet them all one day."

"Yeah… one day," he agreed, "now shush and listen to the forest."

They don't walk far. They cross over a little rise and when she looked back, all she could see was forest; the house was gone. It was as if her world had disappeared. She realised that this was Seth's world. He seemed so completely at home here.

He led her to a small clearing.

"Stand here… and listen… and no talking," he stated.

He stood in front of her; she wrapped her arms around him. She loved touching him.

"All I can hear is you," she told him.

"I can fix that," he said. "Close your eyes."

"Do I have to?" she whined.

"Please Rose."

She complied; she is not sure he had ever asked her to do anything like this for him before. He took a step away from her.

"Seth?" she sounded nervous.

"I'm here."

She couldn't hear him move.

She tried not to panic. He wouldn't leave her here. She kept her eyes tightly shut and she tried to listen. She tried to pretend to be Seth. She concentrated on her breathing. In through her nose, out through her mouth; like the hospital exercises. She crossed her arms, nervously gripping the opposite arm.

When she pulled the air into her nose, she could smell all sorts of forest smells; the trees, the leaves on the ground, a musky earthy smell. She could feel the moisture in the air.

She reached out a hand and he took it. She knew it was him; he was so warm.

She stood there for the longest time. Just breathing and listening. Holding Seth's hand. Knowing he was there with her meant it wasn't scary anymore. She could hear birds in the trees and small creatures rustling among the leaves. She could hear the trees move with the wind.

When she finally opened her eyes, Seth was studying her intently. She smiled at him.

"Thank you Seth… that was lovely."

"You could come here anytime you wanted," he suggested. "I could mark a trail back to the house for you if you were worried about getting lost." He gave her a heated look. "This could be… our spot," he said.

"Our spot," she repeated. "I think I'd like that. The trail would be a good idea… I could turn around and get completely lost."

His eyes looked so dark. He was still watching her intently. It made her heart rate increase. He glanced down at her lips and then back up to her eyes. She stepped closer to him. Her lips parted.

He had been so careful with her. He was so big and so strong and he had always been so careful with her.

She touched him on the chest and the spell almost broke. He glanced down at her hand pressed flat against his chest. For once, he was actually wearing a t-shirt.

She slid the hand up to his face. He grabbed her wrist. He pulled her hand up to his face and planted a kiss on her palm.

"No," she said. "Kiss me properly."

He looked half amused by her order. His hands reached for her face; he planted one hand on either side and he pulled her towards him. He folded himself down towards her. He moved so slowly but with such clear intent; it took her breath away. Her heart found a new pace to beat at.

He paused with his lips held above hers. He dropped that tiny bit further and brushed his lips over hers so gently. He was warm there too and silky soft. She closed her eyes. The lips brushed across hers again. She made some small inarticulate noise. She had one hand wrapped around his wrist now.

Her other hand was around his waist.

His hands tightened on her face. She heard him inhale deeply and then he pulled her up against him. He was not so gentle now. His lips seemed impossibly harder. And demanding. They demanded a response from her and they got it. She turned her head a little. She pulled herself in closer to him. One of his hands slid to the back of her head, the other dropped down her back to pull her even closer to him.

He made a grunt noise as he bent her against him. He stood upright and she was held against him, lifting her off the ground and plastering her along his body. She couldn't breathe. They drew away from each other at the same time and he let her slide down his body and back to her feet on the forest floor.

She felt weak at the knees.

When he finally opened his eyes to look at her, the heat in his eyes faded to worry. "You okay?" he asked.

Her face must have given her away.

"I'm fine," she hastened to say. Then she smiled at him; she didn't want to be insulting. "Better than fine," she added in a shaken voice. "Just give me a minute to get my breath back."

He looked pleased at that statement and he gave her another hug.

When she was fully recovered, they walked back to the house.

That night she had trouble sleeping. All she could think about was how amazing it felt to slide down his body.

Rose had recovered pretty well, but she had continual problems with her left side. Sometimes she lost her balance. Her left arm jerked occasionally uncontrollably.

Sometimes she found herself in a room with no memory of why she went there. With Seth watching her with a worried expression. Once, when she 'woke up', she was standing in the dining room and Seth was holding her hand. She looked at him in shock.

"What am I doing here?"

"They call it 'petit mal'," he said. "It's French for 'little illness'. It is a kind of seizure… an absence seizure… that's what they call them here. Your face has no expression at all… it's the strangest thing… you should grow out of them," he added at the last minute, as he noticed the worried look on her face.

"Grow out of them?" she frowned at him.

"I meant they should get better… you know …with time…"

"Time…" she repeated.

* * *

The Hoburns debated what to do about this. Winona had a job working at the supermarket as a manager and they worried about leaving Rose alone for any length of time.

They can't leave Rose alone in case she fell, or hurt herself or even wandered out the door and onto the road during one of her blank seizure moments. And they can't let her drive a car. She had to get to her outpatient appointments and to hospital check ups. She needed a babysitter and a driver.

Seth said he would stay with her. They wanted to pay him for his time. Victor worried that Seth couldn't get a job himself if he was looking after her all the time. Seth refused any monetary payment but they argued with him and in the end, he accepted an amount half of what they originally wanted to pay him.

"What you mean, so I **am** like the babysitter?" Seth joked. "Whoa don't tell her that… she'll flip out!"

Victor chuckled.

She had missed a lot of school as well and no one believed she was capable of catching up this year. She was smart enough, but adding the strain of schoolwork to her was not something anyone was willing to risk. She tired easily and she slept a lot after she had worn herself out. Attending school would be beyond her right now.

She would have to start again next year, maybe. Or go through home schooling.

Jake was pleased that Seth was keeping up with his schoolwork. He knew it was not his best effort, but it was done and he was happy with that. He was not the biggest fan of school himself. Jake always was more practical and hands on than academic.

Leah had been kept busy fending off Charlie Swan's questions.

Once Seth told Jake he was the babysitter for Rose, he let him off a few patrols.

The others grumbled but Jake made an Alpha decision and they all had to take it. He argued that they would all do the same for the other pack members if they needed it.

FF_2154210_ - 3/26/2011 03:09:00 AM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 01:43:00 AM


	15. Storm girl

**Chapter 15 storm girl**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Seth the baby sitter did a great job of looking after Rose. He drove her to her out-patient appointments, to meetings with doctors, and physiotherapists. Gentle exercise classes like Pilates worked well for her. They increased her core body strength without straining muscles or tiring her too much. Seth was all in favour of making her stronger. He worried about how easily she tired.

She also got anxious and she had to work on relaxation and breathing exercises. She had a lot of headaches and she complained about pain in her legs; especially the left one.

He did his school work and reading while he was waiting for her. Oddly he probably ended up spending more time on it now than he would have before. He spent a lot of time in waiting rooms. He understood now why Raven always had some needlework or something to do with her. Lucky his wolf strength allowed him to carry all his school books with him all the time. His teachers give him catch up papers and extra notes if he actually missed a class. They had to do it for most of the wolf pack members until they finished at school; their attendance at school could be so erratic. Sometimes the pack got extra help like that. Seth supposed it had been arranged by the Tribal Council; he knew how rabid Billy and his mum were about education.

He fitted into the Hoburn family well. Winona laughed about how much he ate and wondered if George will be the same when he got bigger. He was only thirteen and still had that skinny teenage boy physique. He should fill out later if he took after his father. George worshipped Seth with an adoration that eerily reminded Seth of how he used to follow Jake around when he was that young. Victor liked Seth too. He supposed they wouldn't have asked him to help look after Rose if they didn't like him.

Rose found out they were paying him to look after her. Initially she was a little put out but Seth explained that he spends so much time with her; he can't work to earn some money. She was a little upset but he calmed her down when he argued that he thought it was neat that he got paid to be with her. He would do it for nothing. He made sure to spend some of the money on her. He was not stupid, after all.

So he picked his time to ask her about the weather connection thing. He waited for her to be well rested, kind of happy and not headachy. And alone. He had been watching her for a while now and he was almost sure that it was not a coincidence and really, the only way to actually know for certain was to just ask her. It didn't strike him as unbelievable; he knew vampires and werewolves didn't exist for most people either, so a girl who could make storms wasn't outside the realms of possibility for him.

So he just asked.

They had just got home from an exercise class.

"Rose this might sound pretty weird but…" Seth started.

She looked slightly panicked and he felt the static lift in the air. Admittedly, he was looking for it now.

He continued, "I seem to have noticed that there is link between your moods and the weather."

She looked really panicked now. "Don't be silly," she blustered. "Everyone feels sad or upset when the weather is bad," she rationalized.

"Not here," Seth pointed out. "This is the Pacific Northwest, it is always raining. If people here went around sad because it was raining, we would all be clinically depressed."

She opened her mouth to argue, but shut it again without speaking. She fiddled with something with her hand.

"Every time you got really upset in the hospital the weather was bad," he pointed out.

She looked down at her lap.

"Rose?" he asked tentatively.

She still didn't answer him.

"Do you want me to ask your Mum? I think I would rather hear it from you."

She **still **didn't answer him, so he tried emotional blackmail. He might feel bad, but he needed to know what was going on. He put on his sad puppy face and the matching sad voice. "I thought we had got so close in the hospital… I guess that you don't care about me as much…"

"No…" she interrupted, "you're right… you have done so much for me and it is not fair that I keep this from you ...I just don't know how to tell people that … I'm not like other people; that I am a _freak_." She paused and looked at him, "That I can make thunderstorms."

He didn't react to that. "When did it first start to happen?"

"Puberty, I guess… I must have been about 16 when it got really noticeable. Poor mum and dad; their moody teenager had way more issues than anybody else's," she laughed bitterly. "If only all I was doing was truanting and hanging at the mall with boys… instead of frying every electrical appliance we owned…"

He reached for her and stroked her face. He needed to know, but he didn't like getting her upset either, regardless of the storm thing.

"I know," she muttered, "don't go getting upset…." She still sounded bitter. "Mum says that all the time."

Seth wanted to comfort her. "I don't think it's weird… it's different maybe… but…," he shrugged.

"It's hardly normal Seth," she berated him.

"Maybe… but its you," he said simply.

"Me?" she asked suspiciously.

"Yeah." He slid himself in closer to her. "And if I want to be with you… then it is all part of the package," he kissed her softly on the lips. "You know… like being messy or wearing socks to bed or not eating cheese or chewing your pen or any other quirky habits people have. It's just…you." He kissed her again.

"So you don't mind?" she sounded so surprised, he wished he could tell her about the wolves. But he can't. She was just his girlfriend; not his imprint and he can't share his secret with her, the way she just shared hers with him.

It hurt his heart.

He remembered suddenly that he had rashly promised to tell her all his deep, dark secrets when she was walking and talking. She was pretty much one hundred percent healed now; well, as much as she perhaps ever would be. He prayed she had forgotten about that promise. He could tell her bits of his secrets but none of them would make sense without the largest part of that puzzle. His being a werewolf.

"So the trip to Neah Bay?" he asked changing the subject a little.

"We were going to ask the Makah tribal elders if they had ever heard of it before. If any other Makah had ever had such an issue. We thought it would be better to do it in person. Mum thought they might avoid answering the question if we were on the phone or something. You know how old fashioned some of them can be. On the other hand, I guess, they might just not believe me. So we thought that I could have tried to give them a demonstration if they didn't believe us. But then we had the accident and now," she shrugged. "Bizarrely it is less of an issue now, with everything else we have to deal with. I suppose we could go and ask again…" her voice trailed off.

"Maybe it is just less noticeable because you are here. Deadwood doesn't get much rain does it?"

"No," she agreed, "it's pretty arid… probably less than 30 inches a year."

"Well, there you go," he said. "Forks gets more than 120 inches a year. So no one is going to notice that you can make it rain… seriously…"

For the first time in their conversation, she smiled at him. He was so glad to see that smile.

"Guess that explains why George is so sweet."

She frowned at him.

"You have the nicest little brother in the world," Seth stated.

"What do you mean?" she was suspicious.

"Oh come on… it is part of a little brother's statement of duties to be terminally irritating, endlessly annoying and to take all your stuff, be in the bathroom when you need it… etcetera." He lifted his eyebrows at her. "I know this because I **AM** a little brother."

She chuckled. "I had never thought about it, but you are right. I only had to zap at him two or three times before, he learnt to be really cooperative."

"See," he said, "there's always a silver lining."

* * *

**[AN: So I have borrowed the ability to control storms from Richelle Mead's Dark Swan series – I say borrowed, you say shamelessly stole – pot-ay-to/po-tah-to – and then I have mashed it up with the Makah traditional stories of the thunderbird – it'll work!]**

FF_2154210_ - 3/27/2011 02:58:00 AM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 01:48:00 AM


	16. Let's talk about Sex

Chapter 16 **Let's talk about Sex**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Seth and Rose were getting hot and heavy in her bedroom one afternoon. Clearly he had a wide definition of baby sitting. He had no shirt on as usual, and while she seemed more than happy to take advantage of his shirtless state, any time he tried to get her the same way, she resisted. Seth was attempting to slide his hand into her panties when Rose's whole body locked up on him. She was so stiff and nervous, he stopped.

"Rose? What's the matter?" he asked as he kissed down the side of her neck.

"I… I don't know how to say it… I've never done this before Seth," she looked mortified to admit it to him.

"You haven't…" he smiled at her, "… really?"

"You have, I suppose?" she asked.

"Yeah…" He was a little doubtful about how she would take that admission.

She sounded kind of grumpy. It was pretty obvious from the way they were both behaving, but sometimes you never could tell how people took the truth.

"But you're only seventeen too," she pointed out.

He resisted the urge to point out to her that things were often different for boys. "But I don't look seventeen and I have looked like this since I was fifteen," he told her seriously.

"What? You had an early growth spurt?"

He almost snorted. "Something like that," he replied enigmatically.

"Oh… OH… fifteen? Seriously… isn't there a law against that?"

Seth laughed. "I suppose it is underage for Washington State but I didn't look fifteen years old," he gestured at his body.

"You don't look seventeen now," complained Rose.

He looked almost pleased for a second. "And nobody ever complained … you know… about my performance." He tried kissing her neck again, but she wouldn't be distracted.

"So you didn't look fifteen and you didn't act it either," she checked.

"Exactly!"

"So I suppose that means you know what you are doing?"

"I can look after you properly, Rose," his voice dropped to a lower register.

It made her shiver, but she wouldn't be dissuaded from her questions.

"So how many women have you slept with?" she asked.

"Jesus, Rose, you never ask that question!"

"Why not?"

He sighed. He thought about how to answer that one. "If it is not many, then you look like you are hopeless and inexperienced. And if it is **too** many, you look like a slut and the real problem is that everyone has a different number for what they think is too many… for some people it could be just one person," he explained. "And just to make it worse, it seems to be different for men and women."

"Oh," she said, "I suppose I can understand that."

He tried kissing her neck again and feeling her breast.

"So you are not going to tell me?" she persisted.

"Nope. No good could come from it," he stated.

"Humph," she grunted.

He pulled her onto his lap so that she sat astride him. Her hands flapped for a second before settling nervously on his naked chest. He frowned at her. "Rose, have you ever had a boyfriend before?" he asked. "You know a kissing all afternoon kind of boyfriend, not just a hand holding at school one?"

She didn't answer him but just looked embarrassed.

"So you have never made out before?"

She shook her head.

"Right," he said. "So we will go at your pace." He lay back on her bed and folded his arms flat on the bed above his head; he knew it made his biceps look twice their size and expanded his chest. He kept his feet flat on the floor. He shut his eyes and looked like he could go to sleep right where he was. "Off you go," he encouraged her.

She made a nervous squeak noise before she managed to speak, "What?"

"You can do whatever you want," he offered.

"What?" she managed again.

"I'm yours," he stated, "…to touch… kiss… pinch… suck…whatever you want." He heard her inhale sharply at that. At least he had put the thought into her head. "Do whatever you want… and do it at your own pace… I'll wait for you."

There was silence. He kept his eyes shut. He could hear her breathing and she hadn't run away, so that was a good start. He moved a tiny bit, as if he was making himself a little more comfortable on the bed. He breathed out heavily through his mouth and inhaled slowly through his nose. He could smell her. He had to concentrate so hard to not crack a stiffy under her. She would probably run a mile. He started making lists in his head of all the people who lived on the reservation. Anything to get himself under control.

Her hands were still resting on his chest. Her fingers brushed at his skin, so gently. He could almost feel where she was looking; her glance had weight. She brushed across his pecs and her hand made its way slowly down to run across his abs. Lucky he wasn't ticklish.

He felt her body shift as she leant forward a little. She had both hands on him now; they slid up from his stomach, up towards his shoulders. They rested by his collarbones and felt along his collar bone and out towards his shoulders. Her hands traced up the inside of each arm and out to his splayed elbows. She probably didn't realise how she pressed against his lower body when her weight shifted like that. He emitted a low sigh.

She slid her hands from his elbows, down his lower arms. She was holding his wrists in her hands, leaning in towards his face now and her lips brushed his. It took every ounce of resolve he possessed not to grab her and not to do anything. He let her kiss him. He felt oddly restrained by her gentle touch.

She moved to kiss his chin. He smiled when she brushed her lips over his Adam's apple, and he lifted his chin a little so she had better access to his neck.

"You smell… really good," she whispered.

He smiled again. Her nose was buried under his ear somewhere. "I do?" he asked quietly.

"You smell like the forest… the whole forest," she breathed.

Oh Man. He was going to lose it if she kept talking like that. "Kiss me," he instructed.

She did and he opened his mouth the tiniest bit. She took the invitation and the kiss deepened. She moaned into his mouth. His hand crept up and locked onto the nape of her neck, holding her right where she was.

"Oh, Seth," she moaned. All the resistance went out of her and her whole body pressed down on him as if she couldn't stand to be a millimeter away from him. Wow, she was a natural.

However, he knew now, to let her go at her own pace, so he kept his hands to himself. She was literally on top, it was important that she felt like she had the control. He drew his head back from the kiss and returned his hands to the bed above him. He couldn't resist a body adjustment that was half flex, half stretch; a curiously feline movement. It drew her attention back to his body and that was what he wanted.

Her face moved to his chest and she kissed her way down to his pecs. She hesitated but he didn't move, just concentrated on breathing evenly. He closed his eyes and he felt her lips brush his nipple. It hardened instantly and she made a small noise of surprise as if she didn't know guys could do that.

He couldn't help a small twitch as her lips closed around that taut nipple and she sucked at it.

Her other hand moved, brushing over his now hypersensitive skin. He thought he knew where it was going, but he still tensed as her delicate fingers traced their way over to pinch the other nipple. He moaned; a wordless noise of need and desire.

He was losing his hold on his self-control. He could feel himself growing stiff and hard under her. She sat up quickly and he prayed she wouldn't run. She must be able to feel it. He let all his desire and need for her spill into his eyes.

She looked at his face and just for a second he saw something in her eyes he couldn't identify until later. It was a dash of triumph. She had done this to him. She was proud of herself.

He made a noise that sounded like a groan of disappointment and the look fled from her face. He raised himself up to his elbows and said, "School bus; George is home."

She looked down at his flexed abs and sighed.

He grinned at her. "Next time **you**are taking your shirt off," he told her.

FF_2154210_ - 3/28/2011 01:59:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 01:56:00 AM


	17. Heavy petting

**Chapter****17 Heavy****petting**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Rose was in the kitchen making a pot of tea. Seth came in behind her and pressed himself up against her. He had his hands at her waist. He kissed the point of her shoulder. She made some small noise. He could almost get his hands around her waist she was so tiny compared to him.

"Everyone is out," he suggested in a low voice as he kissed her shoulder again. "They'll be gone all day."

She stiffened a little. "I thought we were supposed to be doing exercises."

"We are," he said, "this is resistance training."

She giggled. "So you push me…"

"…and you push right back," he finished. "See? We can push up against each other." It sounded sinful.

"Or I could just _resist_you…" she teased.

"Can't be done," he stated. "I'm irresistible."

She laughed. "You certainly don't take no for an answer."

"I haven't heard you say 'no' yet," he sounded almost offended.

She twisted around and faced him. His hands moved to the kitchen counter, so that she was effectively barricaded in his arms. "No?" she said.

"That was a question… it doesn't count." He bent his knees, pressed himself against her and lifted himself up, rubbing his whole body up against the front of hers. She made a little hiccup noise in her breathing. "Jesus Seth," she said.

"It's my turn," he said.

"Your turn?" she repeated.

"Shirt off," he reminded her.

"I never agreed to that," she tried, but she had lost the argument, the second she had turned to face him; she knew that now.

"You've got two choices," he said reasonably, "I can take your shirt off, or you can take your shirt off."

"That's it? Those are my choices?"

"Yep."

He was still pressed in against her and she could smell him. He was so close.

"Do I get any other choices?" she asked. She hadn't meant to, but she was trying to lean in further towards him. Her hands were creeping towards his face.

"Sure," he sounded so reasonable.

"Such as?"

"I could take my shirt off too if you want," he suggested with a rascally look.

She gave him a look and he grinned at her.

"You are like a dog with a bone," she scolded him.

He cracked up laughing at that. However, it didn't distract him for long.

They spent so much time together and had done for some time now, but whenever he got like this, he made her heart beat faster and her breathing hitch. She thought it was like magic that he could be helpful and practical one minute and incredibly sensual the next.

She reached down and held her shirt at the hem, uncrossing her arms over her head as she took it off. He made a happy noise as she dropped it on the floor. He picked her up, carried her over to a clear piece of counter, and sat her on it. He reached for her bra strap.

"Uh-uh," she said. "There was no mention of bras in this alleged agreement," she chided him.

He looked at her and blinked. "Okay then," he agreed. He started to kiss her.

"Man, I like this counter height," he muttered. "I think I get the kitchen obsession thing now."

He kept kissing her and she instinctively opened her legs wide to try to get him closer to her. She started to pull at his shirt and he helpfully took it off for her. She made a small moan as she felt his skin against hers. He was so hot.

"You're so warm," she told him, as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"High metabolism," he explained. "Also high testosterone levels cause an increase in body temperature."

"Really?"

"Yep, plus we are more socially outgoing and engaging," he stated between kisses.

"We?" she checked.

"Us manly men with greater levels of the manly chemicals in our bodies."

She giggled.

His big hands closed over her bra-clad breasts and squeezed. That stopped her giggles. She moaned his name. His head dropped and he kissed his way down the edge of her lacy white bra cup. She watched him breathlessly. His mouth closed over one of her pebbled nipples. His breath was so warm against her skin. He latched on and sucked hard. She didn't know he could do that through her bra. So much for leaving it on. His eyes looked up at her, watching her every reaction.

He pulled her tighter against him and her hand found its way into his hair; holding him against her and his mouth stayed right where it was. He rose to his feet, lifting her off the counter, holding her effortlessly, and her legs wrapped around his body.

"Oohhh…," she breathed. "Oh…that feels good." She closed her eyes in bliss; stroking her fingers through his hair. She was grinding herself on his body. It was not a conscious movement. She could not have stopped herself as she was barely aware she was doing it.

Seth was not watching her other reactions as carefully as he should have been. He missed the static build up, until her hand in his hair zapped him.

"Fuck," he swore. He didn't drop her, luckily, but placed her gently back on the counter.

"Oh god… I'm so sorry…" she apologised.

"No… it's my fault… I didn't think…" he grinned at her and gave her a quick peck. "That's some 'stop' button you have got there, girl. You tasered me!"

She looked truly apologetic.

He gave her a look. "You didn't mention _this_ before," he pointed out to her.

She folded her arms across her breasts and tried to look dignified.

"Rose?" he asked.

"It's kind of how we knew that I had an issue…"

"Issue?" he ran his hand through his hair and sighed.

"The storm thing comes with an extra; a static electricity thing," she mumbled. "I kind of make lightning I suppose."

He thought for a minute. "So you do this when you get upset or excited... Do you masturbate? You know make yourself orgasm?"

She gulped in some air, "… oh… I…," she slapped her hands over her face in embarrassment.

He chuckled. "You can tell me," he cajoled.

"It's not that I don't want to… it's that I _can't_…"

"You can't tell me. Why? You can tell me anything," he cajoled.

"No, I have no problem talking to you … I mean …I can't masturbate."

He looked confused.

She tried to explain, "I… zap things…"

He almost laughed, but the look on her face was enough to stop him.

"Seriously? You were looking after yourself and you zapped something?"

"My clock radio blew up," she sounded so sad.

He tried not to laugh, but then he let out a snort and then he couldn't stop.

She wanted to be upset with him but his laughter was contagious.

"Bwahaha," he chortled, "I thought it was bad enough to be caught by my Mother," he gasped out.

"The look on dad's face when I tried to explain," she gasped and they both cracked up with laughter again.

He bent over, picked up her t-shirt from the floor and handed it to her. She put it back on and then he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on the forehead.

"So I guess if we want to go further we need to be outside huh?" he said.

"Outside? Why?"

"Well if you get… really excited…" he had an odd look on his face, "… I mean if I do my job properly … you ought to get excited… and maybe… you'll zap something big time... my place is out… you zap our TV and Jake will kill you."

"Oh… if I get really excited? I didn't think of that... I mean do you have lightning rods on the house?"

He started to laugh and then turned it into a cough.

"Do you think I might really… zap that badly...? I mean that big?" she asked.

He tucked himself in close to her. "Yeah his voice dropped, if I make you orgasm more than once. Sex can be pretty intense."

"Oh. What if I hurt you Seth? "

Bless her, she looked so worried that she might hurt him and he couldn't explain why she probably wouldn't hurt him. "That little zap shocked me because I wasn't ready for it. Honey, you could taser me and it wouldn't stop me," he told her. "Seriously, I am a man…"

Well, that was partly truthful.

FF_2154210_ - 3/28/2011 03:50:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 02:00:00 AM


	18. Hiking

**Chapter 18 Hiking**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

**AN: I just noticed I keep switching tenses from past to present –****there is something wrong with my head *bangs it on table* - nope, that didn't fix it…**

* * *

It was barely breakfast time when Seth came barreling into the kitchen of the Hoburn house with a backpack slung across one shoulder. He brought his usual force of nature energy blast with him. Victor suppressed a groan. He was never a morning person and Seth exhausted him. He would swear that just watching him was tiring.

"Morning all," Seth said cheerily and kissed Rose. "Okay Rose, have you got your walking shoes on?" Seth asked her.

"Walking shoes?"

"I want to take you for a hike. The weather is pretty good today."

"Hike?" She said it as if she has never heard the word before.

Seth rolled his eyes. "Come on… are you telling me you have never been for a walk in the forest before."

Victor snorted at the kitchen table. He was reading the paper and drinking his coffee.

"Well…" she blustered.

"Rose…," Seth chided her. "You live here now… it's all about the outdoors here… hunting, fishing… hiking… outdoorsy stuff."

Her face crumpled up when he said hunting.

"I won't make you kill anything," he promised. "Not even to bang a fish on the head."

"You bang fish on the head?" she asked.

"Well, yeah… to kill them… humanely…" He looked confused.

She just looked at him.

"Shoes… now…" he ordered. She went. Victor looked surprised at that.

"With thick socks," Seth shouted towards her room.

Seth was looking at Victor.

"I don't do outdoors," Victor felt compelled to explain. "Or fishing," he added as he turned a page of the newspaper.

"Uh huh," said Seth.

**Balance**

**[AN: It****struck me that Seth is always chatty and wordy so I thought he would be the same even when he is being intimate.]**

Seth made her balance walk on fallen tree trunks as an exercise.

"I don't want to… I keep thinking I will fall," she whined.

She slipped and he grabbed her before she had fallen. He rebalanced her and held her outstretched hand.

"Again," he ordered.

She took a few more steps before her knee jolted and he caught her again.

He held her and studied her face. "Rose…" he chided. " Stop faking it."

"How did you…" she started before she caught herself and stopped talking. "Humph," she said.

"Again," he ordered. "I will let you land on your face… now, do it properly."

She humphed at him again but she did as she was told.

She managed two tree trunks. It really did work all her senses; the trunks are mossy and slippery and she had to work at it.

"Excellent," he praised her. "You are getting much better at this."

"I feel like I am three years old," she grunted at him.

"And what's wrong with that?"

"Well I'm not… you know."

"See, that's what wrong with the world… people have lost their sense of fun."

"You seem to have my share."

"I'll share it with you if you want." He was suddenly serious.

"Seth, are you being serious about fun? That seems ironic doncha think?"

"You know what I mean."

"Yes, I do. I remember you visiting me in the hospital. You were always so happy and joyful. I looked forward to your visits. I didn't know why you were there I was just glad that you were."

She hugged him. She was still standing on the log, so for once she was at face height with him. She poked him in the chest. "And now I know that all you wanted was my virgin ass…"

"Oh yeah…," he grabbed her by the afore mentioned ass and pulled her up hard against him. "Don't remind me."

She snorted. "Like you ever forget. What are you part elephant?"

"I am a large part normal teenage boy… it's all we think about you know. And it's worse because I haven't for a while."

She gave him a look. "Haven't what?"

"Had sex for months." He sounded horrified at the thought; the way he said 'months'.

"You haven't ?"

"No, I was busy. Looking after you."

"Wow! I had no idea."

"See, I make all kinds of sacrifices for you." He sounded serious again.

"Thank you Seth," she said and kissed him. She was not quite sure what to do with that revelation. The kiss deepened and she pulled him closer to her.

"Rose?" he asked tentatively. He was not sure what she wanted to do.

"I want to try, Seth."

"We are outside," he agreed. "How far do you want to go?"

She blushed, "I don't know…"

He gave her a wicked grin. "You want me to feel you up Rose?" as he said it, he held her ass and ground her against him. It made her breathing hitch again.

"I love that noise you make," he said in a low voice.

"Noise?" she managed to ask.

"Yeah… you make this cute little hiccup in your breathing when you first get excited… like you just did then…" he explained. "I know I have your full attention when you do that."

"But what about you?" she asked. She remembered how hard he was underneath her, that afternoon in her bedroom.

"I will be okay. It's probably a good idea that we think of this as an experiment… see what happens when you really let loose, eh?" he kissed her quickly. "I can always clean the pipes out later," he told her.

She got an odd look on her face. "Eww… too much information, Seth."

He chuckled. "Or are you just imaging me… you know… as I do it…"

Her breath really hitched now.

"Ha, see… there it is again," he sounded a little triumphant. "I love that noise."

His hands reached down and started untucking her t-shirt. He kissed her again.

"It's cool for you to be the same height for a change," he said.

She inhaled deeply when his hands touched her skin under her shirt. He pressed his whole hand against her back. She moaned.

"You burn me up, Seth."

"Oh, good point…" He pulled himself away from her a little. "When you zap… does it come out of your hands? You zapped my hair that day in the kitchen and you had your hands in my hair, didn't you?"

She paused as if she was concentrating on thinking about her answer. "I guess it does come from my hands… I have never thought about it before."

"Okay then," he said and then he spun her around so that her back was against his front. "Best we point those somewhere else then."

"Oh, I see."

She shuffled back against him. She rather liked him holding her like this. "I will try to keep my hands to myself," she promised.

"Tell me if you feel odd or too wound up and I will stop."

"You will?" she sounded doubtful.

He snorted. "I can control myself … you know."

"I've told you before, you don't take no for an answer," she reminded him.

"I know what I want, Rose," he said. His voice was oddly deep and throaty. It made her shiver.

"You want me?" she asked.

"Oh yes…" he breathed as he kissed her neck, nuzzling at her ear. She relaxed and leaned back against him. His hands were over her stomach now, stroking and rubbing. One slid up and held her breast. She writhed against him.

His other hand moved to the waistband of her walking shorts. "Are you sure, Rose?" he checked.

"Please," she begged. She undid her shorts herself to make her point.

His hand tentatively moved down and stroked over the edge of her panties.

She pushed back against him. His hand slipped under her bra and he pushed it up, freeing her breast.

"A bow," he whispered against her skin as his fingers felt over it on the edge of her panties. "What colour?" he asked.

"Pink…white panties with a pink bow." She could barely believe that was her voice; she sounded so needy and so breathy.

"Can't wait to see them… one day… and then I can take you _out_of them… "

She made a little moan noise.

His hand kept stroking at her skin, making circles and getting lower each time. It dipped under the edge of her panties and she twitched. He made small comforting noises against the skin of her neck.

He made a movement where he clutched her naked breast, slid his hand between her legs and pulled her up hard against his body, all at the same time. She cried out. There was a crackle of thunder.

"Rose?" he asked.

"Keep going… oh please Seth… keep going," she begged him. She pushed herself back against him.

He lifted her along the fallen trunk until a branch was at her head height.

"Grab that branch," he instructed. "Just in case you try to grab me."

She clutched at it with both hands. She didn't want him to stop and she didn't want to hurt him either. She moved her feet so that her legs were further apart.

"Please…"

He shushed her, his hands stroking everywhere. "You are so wet… can you feel how wet you are?" His fingers were stroking through her now. One dipped inside and used her own wetness to lubricate her elsewhere. He stroked slowly over that spot that made her breath hitch for real now.

"Yes," she moaned.

A light rain started to gently fall; it was that kind of rain that beads on your eyelashes.

"Let it go… Rose... its okay… I've got you… you won't hurt me Rose…" he whispered words against her skin that she could barely hear. "We are outside… you can't do any damage and you can't hurt anybody… stop worrying…"

She gasped, her eyes clamped shut, her head fell back against his shoulder and her whole body twitched. Her fingers buzzed.

"That's it… that's my girl…" he encouraged, as he nibbled at her neck. His finger kept at that spot and she stiffened against him. She felt hyper aware; she could hear his hand rubbing against her clothing, she could hear little wet noises her body was making, she could feel his hardness pressing up behind her, she could smell herself and feel his breath against the sensitive skin of her neck.

"Seth," her voice rose. She wanted to hold him, but the buzzing in her fingers warned her not to try it. Her hair was crackling with static.

"Let it go Rose," he ordered.

And she did.

Her whole body jerked as if it tried to move three ways at once. She gasped and shuddered. She cried out his name but the sound was lost in the bolt of lightning that struck the ground. The sky opened at the same time and there was a massive downpour. He kept stroking at her until she stopped moving against him; murmuring meaningless words against her skin.

He slid his hand out her panties and hugged her against him.

"Holy fuck Rose," he said as he looked at the burning tree she had zapped.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. They were both completely saturated. There was no point trying to find shelter from the storm.

"Sorry?" he spun her to face him. "That is the most spectacular reaction I have ever had from a girl." He kissed her hard and held her face between his hands. "I can never doubt the affect I have on you."

"You're not upset?"

"Jeez girl… that was seriously earth shattering…" he grinned at her. "I will never need to ask if you fake your orgasms." He looked down at himself. "I'm just lucky the rain covers my wet spot. That was unbelievably hot!"

She managed a tremulous smile. "Thank you Seth. It's not everyone who would be so understanding."

"Hey, I can't wait until we get to full sex… do you think there will be actual fireworks?" he asked her.

She giggled through her tears and he hugged her again.

"Maybe next time won't be quite so intense," he suggested, trying to comfort her.

FF_2154210_ - 3/29/2011 03:55:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 02:49:00 AM


	19. Wolves and worries

**Chapter 19 wolves and worries**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Embry and Quil were on patrol later that night. The storm had rolled in really quickly and been pretty localised but no one on the reservation thought it was anything out of the ordinary. It certainly didn't stop the members of the wolf pack doing their usual patrol.

_Quil: Jesus Embry.__Check this out. There is a mark along the ground and then that tree that looks burnt or as if it has been struck by some kind of weapon. What the hell do you reckon caused this?_

The tree was still smoking.

_Embry: I have no idea but that storm was pretty close this afternoon. It just looks like a lightning strike to me._

_Quil: It looks like the landing trail of an alien ship. You know some kind of rocket discharge._

_Embry: Quil there is no such thing as aliens. _He sounded resigned; as if he and Quil have had this argument before… several times.

_Quil: sure, sure and vampires and werewolves don't exist either. Should we tell Jake?_

_Embry: yeah we can show him later. It does look pretty freaky, I will admit that. This is almost like a burn trail along the ground._

Quil was sniffing along the ground.

_Quil: we can ask Seth the next time we see him; I can smell him everywhere here…with something else… woo hoo…go__Sethy boy… I smell freshly creamed girl! Yay. Seth is back in the saddle._

_Embry: he's been busy helping that girl at the hospital… Rose… I think that's her name._

_Quil: she is out of hospital now… remember Jake gave him time off to babysit her… I haven't spoken to him for ages… and he hasn't been doing patrols._

_Embry: you're right, she might be out now_

_Quil: well he was definitely out here today and with a girl…_

_Embry: I hope they missed the storm._

_Quil: (still sniffing) well someone is feeling a lot better… a lot better… damn_

_Embry: Quil will you cut it out! This is as bad as when you were sniffing the back seat of the Rabbit that time_

_Quil: (whining) I was just checking something out…_

_Embry:__yeah sure… something about Leah and Jake... and if he ever found out you have been sniffing his car seats, he will kill you… you know that!_

_Quil: sure, sure_

* * *

**Wolf worry**

"So has anyone met this girl of Seth's?" asked Embry as he sorted through some paperwork at the ABC garage. He knew the others could hear him from the office.

"Nope," said Quil from behind a motorbike.

"Nope," agreed Jake from under the hood of an older car.

"So no one has met her…?"

"Leah saw her at the hospital when she was in the coma," Jake added. "And she has spoken to her a couple of times when she dropped Seth off at her house."

"Raven spent some time with her and said she was really sweet," from Embry.

"So is he hiding us from her or hiding her from us?" asked Quil.

Jake stood up and stretched out to his full height. He tilted his head to listen for anyone nearby. "Good question, Quil. If she is not his imprint, then he probably thinks there isn't any point introducing her to all of us," he stated.

"I suppose…" agreed Embry. "But, we are his friends and family and he is spending so much time with her. It looks like she means more to him than any other girl he has been with before now."

"Does he ever bring her home?" asked Embry.

"No," said Jake, "we barely see him these days between the hours he has been spending with her and with Leah and I working."

There was silence for a minute.

"At least he is talking to Sue about it," stated Jake.

"Yeah, that was Raven helping out there. Man, she does not miss a trick that woman." Embry sounded respectful.

"Should we ask him? I mean we smelt him with a girl in the forest. If it was her in the forest, that means they are getting serious… and in the forest? I thought we taught that boy better," Quil shook his head.

"Doesn't make any difference to you," pointed out Embry.

Quil grinned at him. "My girl likes the forest."

"He keeps a pretty tight lid on his head on patrol. We are all getting better at that, the older we get," Jake said. "Plus he does fewer patrols now, because I let him slack off a little. He was so upset about the accident and he had to be with her all the time in case she passes out or something." Jake sorted through some tools, "I mean, I could step up his patrols but then I might be interfering with his girl time; shit, this stuff is hard. I hate the supervision stuff."

"Girl time?" repeated Quil. "He gets consideration for 'girl time' with someone who isn't even his imprint?" he sounded annoyed.

Embry was standing in the doorway of the office now.

"See?" Jake appealed to Embry, "hard shit."

"What did he say about that burn mark? Did you ask him?" asked Embry, changing the subject and rescuing Jake.

"He said it was a lightning strike. But he seemed really nervous about it for some reason," Jake admitted. "Twitchy… he was real twitchy. You know what a bad liar Seth is."

"It couldn't have something to do with the girl, could it? I mean, if she was there too," pointed out Quil.

"No, how could it?" asked Jake.

* * *

**Leah sniffs it out**

Leah was sitting at the table drinking a coffee when Seth came in for breakfast. He yawned and greeted her. She mumbled something back at him.

He grabbed a giant bowl, a carton of milk and a box of cereal and threw himself into a chair.

Leah sniffed at him. "You're having sex again."

Seth threw down his cereal spoon. "Fuck… I hate living with other wolves. And I am not."

She leaned forward and sniffed him again. "Smells like sex… oh… no penetration, huh?"

"Oh please," he rolled his eyes.

"Who is it little brother? Who are you dry humping?" she looked gleeful.

"Doesn't matter…"

"Does to you."

"What makes you say that?"

"You would have told me."

"What?"

"If she was just some girl on the rez and it didn't really matter… you would have no problem in telling me who it was … but if you don't tell me… then obviously… it does matter."

"That is the single most twisted logic I have ever heard," Seth blustered.

Leah just looked at him. "And now you are avoiding answering the question," she pointed out.

"Fuck, Leah."

"Still not answering the question."

"Leave it alone."

"Again with the not answering."

"Christ, give it a rest…"

She just raised her eyebrows at him.

"All right… okay, okay… it's Rose Hoburn." Leah could take the annoying sister thing to a whole new level.

She uttered a short barking laugh, "What? Is it a new kind of physical therapy?"

"No… fuck's sake Leah…"

She sat up suddenly and looked at him. "Oh my god," she exclaimed, "you like her… you really like her…"

He didn't answer her, just tried to eat his cereal again.

She tilted her head and gave him a look. "But she's not your imprint…is she? I mean you would have told me if you had imprinted… right?"

"No, not my imprint…" he agreed.

"But it's serious?"

He didn't answer that question either.

"Does this have anything to do with you being there at the scene of the accident?" she asked.

"Honestly, I don't know." He looked so confused; she let him get away with that as an answer.

FF_2154210_ - 3/31/2011 01:06:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 02:54:00 AM


	20. First time

**Chapter 20 First time**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

"If you're sure you want to try now… I can wait… it doesn't worry me," Seth said.

"No," Rose clutched at him. "I want to try." She blushed. "I have really enjoyed what we have done so far…"

"We'll need to take some condoms with us. And some stuff to clean up with, maybe a damp cloth and… I suppose it will be damp afterwards even if it wasn't before... you know with the storm thing ... and all..." Seth chattered.

"Oh if you think we need to use condoms."

"Safe sex Rose."

"Well if you need them, but I had the jab in the arm contraceptive."

"You did, why? Other than the obvious… I mean you were not having sex."

"No, it's okay. I get worse when I have PMS," she explained.

"Oh yeah," he agreed. "I hadn't thought about that."

She gave him a withering look.

"I have a sister," he blustered, "I understand these things."

"Leah."

"Yeah, you've met Leah? Imagine Leah with the worst PMS in the world… continuously…," he added.

Rose frowned at him again.

"Seriously, she was nasty… she had a bad time… She was the crankiest woman EVER for like a year; maybe two, before she and Jake got together."

Rose chuckled. "You are just saying that."

"Oh no believe me. You can ask the others if you want. She's all nice now, but she was evil before… **evil** I tell you…"

Rose shook her head at him. "In any case, my family decided to give me the jab. No periods, means no PMS, and that means no out of control zapping sessions."

"I think I have some idea of what your family went through. No wonder they tried to get help."

She looked crestfallen.

"It's not your fault Rose; it's just what you are." He hugged her. "I have the perfect spot in mind for our little get together. Can I tell you about it or do you want it to be a surprise?"

She smiled at him. "I like surprises," she said.

"Cool! Do you think your mum would mind if we borrowed her car?"

Seth drove. Rose was looking out the window but she kept glancing at him. They were quiet but the air hummed with tension. Seth always drove with the window down. He turned off onto a fire trail into the forest.

He parked the car at a turning bay.

"It's not far from here… just a short walk."

She nodded. She was so excited; her body was thrumming with tension.

He held her hand as she walked, concentrating on her balance. The last thing she needed to do right now, was to fall or hurt herself. She wondered if he could carry her, he sometimes has such an effortless physicality.

"Just over here near the creek," he stated. His eyes shone.

She got the impression that he has chosen this place with care; it was important to him in some way.

She stopped and looked around. It was beautiful. The stream ran quickly, burbling past them. The ground was covered in leaf litter and ground ferns. The sun streamed through the tree canopy; covering the ground with a muted greenish light.

She turned to him. He was watching her, gauging her reaction.

"It's so picturesque, just stunning."

"We need to get undressed, but if I touch you…" he shrugged.

"It'll rain," she finished for him. "You have thought of everything, haven't you?"

He smiled.

He pulled a plastic bag from his backpack.

"For our clothes," he explained. He really**had** thought of everything.

They undressed in the clearing; they avoided looking at each other while they did so. Seth held the plastic bag open and she placed their clothes inside it. He tied the top off and shoved it inside the backpack again.

She watched him. He placed it carefully on the ground, and then turned towards her. He approached her slowly. She found herself stepping towards him at the same time; her hands reaching for him.

"You're so beautiful, Seth," she told him as her hands ran all over his skin.

"Hey, That's my line," he said.

"I don't want to lie on the ground… I want to see your eyes," she said. "I don't know why, but I need to see your eyes. You are too tall and I don't want to stare at your chest," she explained.

"You always stare at my chest," he pointed out.

She frowned at him. "You know what I mean."

"Sure Honey, we can do that," he said. "Besides, I don't want you to be in the dirt either."

"Here, this will work." He sat on the ground with his back against a tree and his legs stretched out in front of him. He tilted his head and patted his lap.

She took a step over towards him and he reached out for her hands. She straddled his legs and lowered herself onto his lap. He watched her as she dropped down.

His hands went to her lower back and he held her there. "How's this?" he asked.

"Perfect," she told him. She placed her arms over his shoulders and wriggled experimentally. He gasped.

"Sorry."

"Fuck, don't apologise… that is what you are supposed to be doing."

"Oh, so you like that?"

"Can't you feel how much I like it?" He was growing harder and longer between them.

"Yes I can… so if I do that again…" She tried another sliding move and he seemed to unerringly slide between her lower lips and right along her channel.

"Oh…" she said.

"Do that again," he said.

"Will it all fit?" she asked cluelessly.

He chuckled, a pure man chuckle. "Yep, it will all fit."

"God, you are so hard… so quickly…"

He had closed his eyes and his head leant back against the tree; a small smile played at his lips.

She got up on her knees and his cock rose underneath her. She thought maybe she should just jump in and do it, so she tried to slam herself down onto him. He moved inhumanely fast, grabbed her, under her arms, and held her up.

"Hey, hey, what are you doing?" he asked.

She squirmed. "I thought it was one of those 'jump in the deep end' things."

"No Honey, you do that and you will hurt yourself… or me… and I don't want you to be hurt… I want your first time to be all sunshine and flowers you know?"

She beamed at him.

"I mean as far as I can… given that we have to do this outdoors… you know… you need to go slowly… just slide in a little bit at a time… are you sure you are wet enough for this? Stay there for a second," he instructed and suitably chastised she stayed up on her knees. She hung onto his shoulders.

His hand reached down and she could feel one his fingers slide into her. She looked down at him and pushed herself onto his hand. "You've been thinking about this, the whole way here, haven't you?" he asked her as his fingers stroked into her.

"Yes," she breathed in a low voice. "Does it show?"

"Oh yes, you're already wet… just from thinking about it…" He leaned forward and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth.

"Seth, talk to me. You always talk all the time; it feels weird for you not to talk now."

"Okay," he agreed, letting her nipple fall from his mouth. He looked at her with sultry eyes. "Come here," he said in a low voice.

She lowered herself a little. He was holding his cock in one hand and he rubbed the head along her channel. It made her eyes shut; her head tilted back and she moaned. It started to rain.

He grinned.

"Now I will hold myself in place and then you can take control, you can take it as slow as you want and take as much as you want… okay?"

"Okay," she agreed.

They both groaned as the head pushed inside her.

"It's so hot," she exclaimed, "it burns…"

"Do you like this?" he asked. He withdrew and then penetrated her again, allowing just the head to slide into her.

"Oh yes…" she moaned.

There was a silence, punctuated by shuffling amongst the leaves, groans and grunts as she maneuvered herself on top of him. She dipped and lowered herself onto him, repeating his earlier penetration and withdrawal. He moved his hand once she had him far enough within her. He reached for her breast again and pinched her nipple. Her thighs started to tremble from holding herself above him. He held her at the hips and took most of her weight without her even noticing he was doing it.

"Seth," she moaned.

"I'm here… I'm not going anywhere… god… that feels so good Rose."

Her eyes opened wide when she felt him butt up against her barrier. He reached up to her shoulders.

"Are you ready…?" he asked, "We just have to push through this…"

She nodded. He pulled her down by the shoulders and lifted himself a little.

"Oh, oh, oh," she uttered little cries.

"Hold still Honey; hold still… it'll pass…" He looked so worried she smiled at him.

"Kiss me Seth," she instructed.

He did and while he was, she pushed herself down to the hilt. The thunder crackled overhead ominously. They both cried out wordlessly.

"Jesus, Rose…" He could smell blood.

"I feel so full… so full … I don't think I can describe it…" she muttered.

He reached for her hips and he moved her forward a little, still supporting her weight.

"Oh god," she groaned, "that rubs in the exact right spot."

"I know…" he told her. "Open your eyes Rose… you want to see me…" he reminded her.

She did. They stared at each other and Seth's world tilted.

He has had sex plenty of times but for the first time, in he thinks maybe, **ever,** he completely lost control; he lost himself. He held her and thrust up into her with his breath gusting with the effort. His fingers pressed into the top of her buttocks. His world became one of pure sensation; a blinding mix of movement, heat and pressure. She was crying out above him, her body spasming with her own release. His orgasm started from his toes and made its way up his legs with something approaching pain; he exploded. It erupted out of him.

And when he came back and found himself again, he was staring into the dark eyes of the girl he now knew he adored, worshipped, admired, and was crazy about... There just weren't enough words to describe what she was to him. She was his imprint. Now he knew why he needed to look after her. Maybe the blood, sex and the tribal land were the last pieces of the puzzle.

The rain poured down on them both, cooling his superheated body.

His heart continued to pound in his chest and he was still buried inside her. Rose looked amazing, her lips were swollen and she seemed to glow to him.

"Rose," he just breathed her name.

"Wow," she said. She was breathing hard.

She went to kiss him and then noticed his stunned appearance. "Why are you looking at me like that? Seth? Are you okay? You look like I hit you …did I shock you Seth?" Rose was in a panic. She worried she had zapped him. "I mean that was amazing… I didn't know I could do that so many times in a row… Seth?"

"It's you…," he said in a breathless voice. He got a memory flash of their bodies smacking together. He sincerely hoped the whole memory will return.

"Huh? Of course it's me… who else did you think it would be?" she asked.

"No… you… me… my…" he blustered, not making any sense whatsoever.

The rain continued to fall softly. He had another memory flash of her crying out with her head back; riding him as the lightning crashed in the sky.

"Seth? I zapped you… I did… didn't I…? Where did I hit you?" she started running her hands over him looking for a burn mark.

"It's okay…," he said. But he continued to stare at her. He was holding her on his lap motionless.

"Seth…? You are weirding me out. You are not making any sense… and you have this odd look on your face. Do you always do this after sex? Should I get used to the 'I've been slapped by a fish look'? I am not sure it is really you… you know?" she tried to joke.

"I love you Rose," he said. His voice was low and intense and he said the word 'love' like velvet.

"You do? Well I should hope so, seeing as how we just…" she blushed and couldn't finish her sentence.

He kissed her.

"I love you too, Seth."

He reached up to her shoulders and ground her down onto him; one last thrust up into her, making her cry out again. "Oh Jesus…"

Anything else she tried to say was lost as he sealed their mouths together.

FF_2154210_ - 4/1/2011 01:15:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 03:00:00 AM


	21. Thunderbird

Chapter 21 Thunderbird

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

**[AN: the symbol of the Makah is the thunderbird. They and the Quileute have many stories about the thunderbird and the****whale it carried.****Fascinating that they both have stories to explain a big flood, so there probably was one in reality.****]**

* * *

Seth had asked some of the elders to attend a pack meeting. He said he wanted to talk to them all about Rose. He preferred Billy and Old Quil as the elders in attendance. He couldn't do this with his mother there.

"Old Quil have you ever heard of any Makah having the ability to make storms?" Seth asked.

Billy looked grave. "Seth?"

"It's Rose… we know she came back here to see the elders… Raven told us that… and she never made it… you know… I have been spending a lot of time with her and I have kind of noticed something…."

Silence greeted his announcement.

"Seth, please continue," old Quil encouraged.

"I have kind of noticed that when she is really upset… the weather is bad… I know we live in the Pacific Northwest and the weather is always bad… but she seems to make it worse… and it is just where she is… I mean I have left the hospital and it is fine in La Push… I don't think I am explaining this very well… "

"Try," Billy said.

Seth took in a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "When she is sad it rains… when she is angry there is a thunderstorm…it just happens too often to be a fluke… you know…" He looked around at the concerned faces of his friends. "She can influence the weather. If she is upset, a storm comes. Every time she was having a really bad day in the hospital, the weather was frightful. She said they were travelling to Neah Bay to ask the tribal elders about it."

Seth continued, "I mean have you ever heard of a Makah having a power like that? You know we are wolves… why couldn't she be something different too?"

Billy and old Quil look at each other. That look had weight.

"The thunderbird," said old Quil.

His voice changed to the timbre he used to tell stories. "It is a large bird, capable of creating storms while it flies. The clouds are pulled together by its wing beats, its wings clapping make the sound of thunder, and the light flashing from its eyes when it blinks is sheet lightning. It holds a snake in each hand; they glow and throw individual lightning bolts at its command. In masks, it is depicted as many-coloured, with two curling horns, and, often, teeth within its beak. There are also stories that the giant Thunderbird could shoot lightning from its eyes."

"The thunderbird changes into human form by tilting back their beaks like a mask, and by removing their feathers as if it was a feather-covered blanket. There are stories of thunderbirds in human form marrying into human families. Especially along the northern tip of Vancouver Island."

"The families of thunderbirds, who kept to themselves but wore human form, were said to have lived there. The story goes that other tribes soon forgot the nature of one of these thunderbird families, and when one tribe tried to take them as slaves the thunderbirds put on their feather blankets and transformed to take vengeance upon their foolish captors."

"It is the symbol of the Makah," stated Billy.

"With the whale," said Seth. "I had never thought about it…"

Old Quil spoke again, "In the Makah traditional story, they tell of a winter when the thunderbird saw that the Makah were starving. They could not fish in the ocean because of an exceptionally long stretch of terrible weather. The thunderbird decided to help the Makah and attacked a whale in an earth-shaking battle before delivering it into the river on a large wave."

Billy picked up the narrative, "The Quileute story is different. In the beginning, Kwattee created the animals of the earth. Then by the union of some of these animals with a star which fell from heaven, came the first human beings. And from these sprang the various races of men."

"Years came and went and all was good. Then Chief Thunderbird attempted to destroy all the good whales of the ocean. Kwattee then interfered, and a terrible drawn battle was fought between him and Thunderbird."

"Enraged, the thunderbird caused the waters of the great deep to rise. For four days the sea continued to rise. It rose till it covered the very tops of the mountains."

Everyone listened with the respect they usually accorded their traditional tales.

"Again, Kwattee joined his adversary in battle, and while the conflict was in progress, the waters receded. This engagement, too, was a drawn battle, and following it, the waters again rose. The water of the Pacific flowed through what is now the swamp and the prairie westward from Neah Bay on the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Pacific, making an island of Cape Flattery."

"Again, Kwattee and Thunderbird engaged in terrible conflict, and again the waters suddenly receded, leaving Neah Bay, the Strait of Fuca, and Puget Sound perfectly dry. For four days, the water ebbed out, and numerous sea monsters and whales were left on dry land."

"The battle was again indecisive. Then without any waves or breakers, the waters again rose until they had submerged the whole country. Then Kwattee killed Chief Thunderbird. The waters took four days to recede. Each time that the waters rose, the people took to their canoes and floated off as the winds and currents wafted them. The sky was covered and there was neither sun nor land to guide them. Many canoes also came down in trees and were destroyed, and numerous lives were lost. The survivors were scattered over the whole earth. One segregation of the Quileutes found themselves at Hoh, another at Chemakum (near the present Port Townsend), and a third succeeded in returning to their own home here on the Pacific."

"Who needs Godzilla when we have our own giant freaky animal battles…thunderbird versus the whale… no…? Whalezilla?" Quil chattered away.

"It might have been the same tsunami, we just have different stories to explain it," said Jake. "The kernel of truth to the myth."

"Dad used to tell the story about how the Quileute stole the whale meat when the thunderbird put it down to rest. He got angry and turned them all into stone," Leah spoke.

"So, Rose **could** have the spirit of the thunderbird?" Seth asked.

"She's emotional and it rains?" checked Embry.

"Jesus. PMS much?" said Paul.

"Whoa, think about it. You can never have a fight with that girl ever…" Embry commented.

"Yeah, I know…," muttered Seth. "She has already zapped me."

"And disconnect the Hallmark channel; that shit gets girls all weepy anyway," from Paul.

"It's more than that," Seth blustered. "It's any strong emotion. So when we…" he stopped talking and looked down.

"So you literally work up a storm?" Paul asked.

Seth just nodded. Paul cackled with laughter.

There was a silence for a minute while everyone processed that thought.

"It was her," said Embry. "That burn mark in the forest."

Seth just nodded.

Paul snorted. "Fuck, if it's hailing, we know you are into some freaky shit."

"Christ almighty, the weather is bad enough around here without that! We have to find a way to help her," Jake said.

"Or use her," suggested Quil.

Sometimes Quil had the right idea but it still surprised them all. Everyone looks at him.

"What? Use her!" Seth was furious.

"Imagine if she could Sith lightning the vamps? Come on; that would be sooo cool. No more carrying lighters and fire starters for us," Quil blithely prattled on, oblivious to Seth's growing anger. "Does it come out of her eyes? Like in the story or does she zap out of somewhere else…?"

Collin and Brady made noises of teenage boy approval. Robot Chicken was currently their favourite television show.

"Sith lightning…cool" breathed Brady.

"Seth lightning," corrected Collin with a chuckle.

"Can we call her panda bear?" asked Brady. [AN: in robot chicken star wars, Palpatine can't remember Padme's name and he calls her panda bear]

"One more Robot Chicken reference…" Seth threatened Collin and Brady.

"Guys," Jake tried to call them to order.

"This is my imprint!" Seth shouted.

There was silence. Everyone looked at him.

"Seth?" Jake asked.

"Oh fuck." He realised he had blown it.

"She is? When did that happen? Did I miss something?" Quil asked. "I thought you just felt guilty because you caused the accident…"

"Shut up Quil," Embry spoke.

"That's why you were there," Leah guessed.

"Why would you hide it?" from Jared.

Silence.

Paul reached for his shoulder. "Seth, take my advice. Hiding shit like this just doesn't work out for anybody… you remember the clusterfuck I made of my own life… stop feeling guilty for causing the accident and tell her the truth…"

"All of it," stated Jake. He glanced at the elders for confirmation and they both nod.

"What…?"

"The pack, the imprint… everything." Jake looked at him. "She thinks you are just a normal boy doesn't she?"

"What if she's feeling like a freak… and if she finds out you're one as well…" Quil suggested. "Might make her feel better. She's not alone… you know… that shit…"

Everyone looked at him again; he had just called them **all**freaks.

"Well I didn't mean that we were all freaks … just Seth… you know…" he blustered.

"Jesus Quil," said Embry. "Shut up!"

"I can't tell her," wailed Seth. He held his head in his hands.

"Why not?" asked Jake.

"I caused the accident… Winona would not have swerved if I had not have been there… I hurt her… I almost killed my imprint…. Do you know how that makes me feel? I mean she wasn't my imprint then, but she is now…"

"Seth, you were there for a reason… you couldn't tell us why you had to be there… remember?" Jake said.

Leah spoke, "What if the Makah elders couldn't help her… what if we can… if you can… is that why she is here? …isn't the whole accident… a way of making sure she is here… with us… in La Push."

"You could be right Leah," agreed Embry. "If she had driven past… you would never have met her… she's here … with **you** Seth."

"The gods work in mysterious ways," Quil ponderously intoned. His grandfather gave him a look.

"Dating by car accident?" Seth sounded bitter. "She didn't fall for me, the car rolled over?"

"Seth… do you love her?" asked Jake. "I mean love her… not the imprint stuff… you can tell the difference… can you?"

"Yeah, I think I can… I loved her before I imprinted… it only happened this week… she's so strong… and determined… and she tries so hard… she has literally remade herself… that takes real strength of character… you know?"

He looked down at his hands. "I think she is a remarkable person and she is funny and intelligent and dogged and beautiful and her smile…"

Jake laughed, "Okay then… there's our answer. You're not just looking after her … you love her."

"What cemented the imprint?" asked Embry. "You said it only happened this week."

Seth looked at him and raised his eyebrows.

"You did it on tribal land," guessed Embry.

Seth just nodded.

"Well, regardless of how it happened, she is your imprint now and if we can help her," suggested Billy, "it may be the reason why she is here."

"If she is your imprint then there is a reason why she is with you," old Quil stated. "Does she have other skills… anything else she can control?"

"Storms are all she can do," said Seth. "Jesus did I just say that? Did that sound as weird to you all as it did to me?"

"Yep," agreed Paul.

"What exactly does she do?" asked Jake.

Seth squirmed. "She can zap out of her hands… electrical things especially don't last long around her… and she can call a lightning strike… she can almost direct where it hits… she's a little out of control right now… but she needs more practice… it still frightens her."

"Maybe you need to look at it scientifically. Lightning is static electricity; ionised particles. If she can move different kinds of particles, she might be able to control other things. Wind or water are particles too," Quil said.

Everyone looked at him in disbelief.

"What…? I can't be smart occasionally…" he whined.

The meeting broke up after a few more less important issues; arranging patrols and such.

FF_2154210_ - 4/2/2011 02:12:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 03:06:00 AM


	22. Truth time

**Chapter 22 Truth time**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

**[AN: I had some issues with Seth sleeping with Rose and then telling the truth – it seemed out of character – but he HAS to I guess – he can't tell her about the wolves unless she is his imprint and he has the Alpha's permission to tell her the secret****– even if the dumbass promised.]**

* * *

Seth was in an odd mood today. Rose had just kept pretty silent during their now ritual morning hike. He was as solicitous and aware of her as always but she felt that his mind was just somewhere else. She left him alone with his thoughts.

When they got back to the house, he threw himself down into one of their Adirondack lounges in the yard. She went to get them both a cool drink of water.

She handed his to him and sat herself in the other chair.

"There's something I haven't told you…" he started.

She tried to make a joke out of it. "… you're married… divorced… got a kid…"

"Rose… please."

"Oh… I'm sorry… you're making me nervous … what is it you wanted to tell me, Seth?"

"Can I tell you that this is the last thing I want to do but I have to do it because you deserve the truth."

"Seth, you are freaking me out."

"And I promised that I would tell you the truth when you were all better, remember?"

Silence. She looked suspicious now.

"The truth? What truth?" she asked when he doesn't continue.

"I caused the accident."

"How?"

"I was there."

"We were on a deserted stretch of the highway Seth, there was nothing there…"

"Yes, there was."

She frowned.

"Do you remember?" he asked.

"The accident, of course I do."

He resisted pointing out to her, that for a long time she had kept forgetting she had even been in a car accident.

"No Rose… you saw something… so did your Mum… she swerved because something frightened her…" His face looks torn as if he does and doesn't want her to remember. "Something at the side of the road."

"I … think… there was an animal… something big… a bear… no…. a wolf." She looked at him sharply. "Wolves don't come that large."

"They do in La Push."

She stared at him. "Only in La Push?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"So the tribe has gigantic pet wolves?"

"No, they aren't pets."

He got to his feet and started to pace in frustration.

"It was me," he said.

"What was?"

"The wolf. At the side of the road. It was me."

"I'm sorry Seth; I thought you said**you** were the wolf."

"Yes, that's what I said."

She just blinked at him.

"I don't understand," she said in a very small voice.

He reached for her hand; he crouched down in front of her and played with the skin on her hand.

"I'm a… shape shifter… I can change into a wolf. Just like in those books I gave you to listen to… with the shape changers… and the vampires."

She snatched her hand out of his

"No," she said. "No, no, no."

"Oh Rose," he sighed. He dropped his head into his hands.

She rose to her feet; she pushed the chair back away from her body rather than get closer to him. He noticed.

She was still shaking her head.

"No, no, no," she repeated. "It can't be…" Her hands flailed in front of her.

"Why can't it?" he asked. "You can control lightning. Why is the fact that I can do something too, so weird?" He took a step towards her.

"I don't change… I don't become something else."

"Neither do I. I'm still **me**." He pleaded with her; holding his hands in front of him.

"How can you be you… if you are a gigantic wolf?"

"I just look like a wolf. I still think, and feel like me. Even my eyes are the same."

"I don't…" she shook her head.

"Please Rose," Seth asked.

"Please what? Understand? **How** can I understand?"

Then she seemed to think of something.

"That's why you helped me. After the accident. What? Did you do your Lassie imitation? Run off and get help? That's why you were at the hospital every day. It wasn't for me. You feel guilty. You don't love me. You are just making yourself feel better." She looked completely panicked now. "Oh god… I think I am going to be sick… you don't love me…." She clutched at her stomach.

His face looked shattered. He grabbed her. It was instinctive, but thoughtless. "Please Rose, of course I love you. It was all about you… it was always for you."

"Don't touch me!" she screamed. She tried to fight him but he was so petrified of letting her go that he hung onto her. He wrapped his arms around her and tried to hold her against him.

She railed and fought against him. She was sobbing and wailing.

"Please Rose," he was kissing her hair and desperately trying to calm her down when her hair started to crackle.

"Oh fuck," he said. "Rose you have to calm down."

"I don't want you to touch me," she screamed at him. "Let me go!"

He did, but the damage was done. She was really angry now. "You're a …" she struggled for a word. "You're an animal!" she screamed at him.

He looked as if she had just slapped him.

They both froze. The air crackled and hissed. The hairs on his arms started to stand up. The smell of ozone was everywhere.

"I know you are angry," he said in a low, even voice; desperate to calm her down. "I would be too. You want to hit me?" he asked.

He took a step away from her and held his arms out to the sides. "Come on… zap me. Will it make you feel better? Will it be enough punishment for you? Maybe you could put me into a coma and you could nurse me… will that work for you? It has some kind of karmic balance doncha think?"

She was taking little shallow breaths.

He continued, "Yes, I'm an animal… I even have a tail… I am an animal probably half the time these days… no, I didn't get a choice… just like you... no, there isn't a cure… just like you… mine hit me when I was fifteen… a little younger than you… remember when we talked about my growth spurt… you don't want to know how much those growing pains hurt… but unlike you… I have friends who are like me… I have a wolf pack…. so that makes me lucky I suppose." He sounded bitter.

She was staring at him.

"So if you want to hurt me, if that will make you feel better… you go right ahead…"

He closed his eyes and tilted his head back; like a lamb to the slaughter. He offered himself to her like a sacrifice.

She screamed in frustration; fell to her knees, her hands stretched in front of her and her fingers started clawing at the dirt. A bolt of lightning crashed to the ground in the forest behind them. She was watching him and he didn't even flinch.

"God damn you, Seth," she shouted at him. "Why would you want me to do that?" She was still kneeling on the ground.

"I'll do anything for you," he said simply. "You're my imprint and I love you."

"Imprint? There's more?" she asked. She sounded weary. She looked up at him; her face stained with tears.

"The wolf gods choose our perfect mate." He took a step towards her. "And you're **it** for me."

"I am?" she sounded hopeful now.

"Yeah… I can prove it. Can't you feel it?" he reached down, pulled her up to her feet and wrapped her up in his arms again.

"Can't you feel it?" he asked her again. "How it hurts to be away from each other. How we can sense each other's moods and emotions." He pressed his cheek against the top of her head.

There was silence for a minute.

"You were sad in the car that day. I just never realised that it was _**you**_that was sad... I thought it was me… it wasn't very strong then… I kept going there and I could never work out why."

She inhaled deeply. How could he have known that, even if he was a wolf at the side of the road? "Yes, I was," she admitted. "I remembered why we were going to Neah bay and mum said something like, I had to snap out of it because she hated driving in the rain. It reminded of the whole problem… you know…"

"And then you lightened up."

"Yeah, we made a joke."

She finally let her arms go around his waist. He uttered a sigh as if it had been hurting him for her _not_ to touch him.

"I can't tell you how sorry I am about the accident. I have asked myself that question a million times. I don't know why the wolf gods wanted us to meet like this. Why I couldn't have just bought you a soda or fallen in love the first time I looked into your eyes or something."

He hugged her tighter.

"Everyday I wish they had found a better way to do it, because I would never want to cause you pain and I caused you so much…."

"It was an accident Seth. It wasn't your fault. The car should not have rolled. Mum should not have swerved. I don't know… but if you think there is a reason for it, then we should try to find it out, right?"

He pulled back and looked at her. "Maybe the pack can help you somehow." His big hands cradled her cheeks and his thumbs wiped at her tear stained cheeks.

"Please let us try to help. Please don't leave me…" his head lowered towards hers, "…ever." And then he kissed her. He put his whole heart into that kiss. When their tongues touched, something happened that she could never adequately explain later. It is as if some of his heat went into her and filled her up. She felt warm, comforted, whole and almost healed inside. She accepted him with everything she had.

When he finally let her draw a breath, she sighed. "Why didn't you just kiss me like that before?"

"When?" He looked puzzled.

"When I was in the coma… you know sleeping beauty and all that."

He actually looked confused. "I don't know," he blustered, "I guess I never thought about it…"

"Oh Seth," she said, "You're gorgeous." And she kissed him again.

It took him a little while to think of a reply. "It wouldn't have worked then," he argued. "You weren't my imprint then… you didn't even know me… it didn't become really strong until after we had sex… before that, I just wanted to be around you and I wanted to help you… but clearly it needed my ass in the tribal dirt and me buried inside you to fully happen… you know blood… sex… dirt… _magic_…"

Her breath made that hitch noise he loved.

FF_2154210_ - 4/3/2011 02:07:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 03:16:00 AM


	23. Parents watch

**Chapter 23 Parents watch**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Victor and Winona stood together in their living room. They watched as Seth and Rose played in the yard.

Winona was stressing. "Look at them, Victor. Rose is so young to be so head over heels in love with this boy."

Victor disagreed. "That boy is the key to her survival. He literally saved her life Winona. I can't begrudge him wanting to share it with her." Victor hugged her to his side. "You let him nurse her, because you trusted your feelings about him. Lord, we even pay him to look after her. And he does. She gets to all her appointments, she does her exercises and that is all down to Seth. You believed in him then, what has changed now?"

She didn't reply; just chewed at her lip.

Victor continued, "Think about a year ago when we had a difficult, sulky, depressed teen daughter. You remember? She acted out, she argued with us constantly. She was starting to hang out with the wrong kind of kids. And that electrical zap thing? How much was it costing us to keep replacing everything? As well as the damage she was doing to herself. I do not know how, but somehow he has helped her get herself under control. She is even able to be alone for short periods now. She has less accidents and less of those absence seizures."

"From the way they are together, I would guess they are having sex, but they are both old enough and she had that shot so we know there are no issues there."

He watched Rose. "Especially in the last few weeks. She has just healed so fast… it's a miracle…"

"Now look out in the back yard and tell me which you would rather have?"

He put his arm over Winona's shoulder so that his hand hung down in front of her chest. She held his hand with her other hand and played with his fingers. It was a habit for them.

Victor continued, "The whole 'take her home to ask the Elders trip' was supposed to help her and in a weird way it has. She has met Seth; and he and the Quileute seem to be helping her control her gift. In one way, I am kind of glad you didn't make it to Neah bay." He kissed the side of her head. "The accident was awful, but look at the final result."

Seth and Rose were playing football on the grass. He was ducking and dodging her attempted tackles.

"Damn, that boy is fast," said Victor.

Rose was laughing and her face was flushed. Seth made a touch down and then he did a victory dance; with the ball held over his head. His knees lifted high in the air. Rose insisted it was her turn but she couldn't reach the ball. He was too tall. His arm held it way over her head. She tried to climb up him to get it and they both fell over onto the grass. He made an 'oof' noise as she landed on him. He wrapped his arms around her and they both laughed. Then he rolled over, pinned her to the grass and tickled her.

Winona kissed Victor's hand. "Yes, you're right, but she is so young…"

He gave her a look.

"Oh," she almost blushed. "Yes, I know, I was not much older than she is, when I decided you were the one I wanted."

He hugged her. "You got me…, and you still have me. And everything you went through to get me…" he reminds her.

She rolled her eyes. "I remember. He's Not Makah; he's older than you are, if you marry him you will have to leave… Yes, all right, you have made your point."

"Can I make another one?" he asked.

"What?"

"Prove that I still love you and I'm still worth giving it all up for." He turned and led her towards their bedroom.

"But the children…" she protested.

"They're busy," he said.

Outside Seth said, "We should go for a walk or something; stay out of the house for an hour or so."

"Why?"

"Your parents have gone to have sex."

"Eww… hang on, how do you know?"

"I can hear them talking."

"Oh, that has to be a negative sometimes."

He shrugged, "You get used to it. Like being overwhelmed by smells and sounds. You learn to filter out the stuff you don't need to know. Like if I were tracking you for instance… no other smell would get in my way…" He rolled her over so she is on top of him again.

She looked at him. "Was that a compliment? Sometimes I am not sure." She sat astride him as he lay on the grass.

"You smell good… Besides, your parents are cool. At least they don't have sex as often or as noisily as Jake and Leah do."

"Do you think they know that we…?"

"Yep."

"You heard them talking about that?"

"Sort of… let me summarise… they know we are, but they know you are safe… your mum worries you are too young and your dad pointed out you are the same age she was, when she dated him. A good argument, given they are still together and seeing as how they are still hard at it, I would call that a successful marriage, wouldn't you?"

"Do you think when we are their age we will still be 'at it'?"

It made him inordinately happy that she assumed they would still be together in the future.

"Heck yeah… Paul and Bella have sex every day… we can't let them beat us…"

"I do not want to know how you know that…"

"Pack," he explained.

"Hey, I said I _didn't_ want to know…Jeez and people think girls over share."

Seth sat up and held her in his lap. "Maybe we would have to go two or three times a day, just to catch up… I mean they started before us and all." He was kissing her neck.

"I thought you said we could go for a walk."

"Yeah. But I think there might be a storm… in fact, I would bet on it."

"That's it! I could be a rainmaker."

"You think?" he kept kissing her neck.

"Yeah… you and I could travel around the country bringing rain to the arid areas."

"Doesn't the moisture have to be in the clouds in the first place; like cloud seeding? I would have to come with you too. Besides as a protector of la push, I can't go travelling around the country for too long. We could do it occasionally. But isn't the point that you learn how to control it?"

"Practice makes perfect." She grinned at him

"Hell yeah…"

FF_2154210_ - 4/4/2011 04:38:00 AM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 03:21:00 AM


	24. First phase

**Chapter 24 First phase**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Seth and Rose were watching television together.

"Seth, can I ask you something?" Rose asked. She looked really nervous and he panicked for a second until he remembered that she can ask him anything and he will tell her the truth.

"Sure, Honey. You can ask me anything."

"How did you find out you were a wolf?"

He laughed, it sounded almost bitter. That, in itself is unusual enough coming from Seth. He was always so happy and unsinkable.

"I guess it wasn't a good thing then?" she tentatively asked. "You don't have to tell me… if you don't want to."

"I'm sorry," he apologised. "It's not your fault that it is such a bad memory and you have every right to ask… it's just…" He reached for her hand and held it in his. Staring at it as if the answer is written on the back of her hand.

"Seth?" she asked.

He heaved a sigh that sounded painful. "It was my dad…" he started; but then he ground to a halt again.

"Seth if it is that bad… please don't try to tell me…"

He looked up at her face. She looked upset for him. "No, its funny… in one way, Leah got through it … if she can do it… I can." He looked at her again.

"I'm sorry. I will just start again… okay?"

He huffed out another breath and she just waited for him. She was still holding his hand.

He spoke but it sounded as if the words are being dragged out of him. "Leah and I phased… that's what we call it when you change… we both phased the same night… My father was a tribal elder; he knew the stories about the wolves and he had been involved when the others phased, but…"

He twisted his body as if he was literally wringing the words out.

"Our phase was a little unexpected… for two reasons: one, I was only fifteen and that was really young and two, because Leah was female. There had never been a female wolf before. That was the one story that Harry Clearwater did not know."

He rose to his feet and he started to pace; it was as if he needed to do something physical. He needed to move.

"It was such a shock… I mean nobody knew about a female wolf… it wasn't in any of the stories… dad had a heart attack…" He just kind of added that bit on the end; as if it was an extra.

She gasped. "Oh Seth," she sympathised.

He kept talking but he can't look at her now. "I can barely remember now… that whole night was such a mess… I think it was Leah phasing that frightened him so badly… and then I saw them and I…"

He inhaled heavily. "I got such a shock too… I mean it was such a bolt from the blue… I knew the stories… we all knew the stories… but who the hell actually believes that there really are things like werewolves and vampires… I mean all that shit is just in story books… you know… legends… fiction … TV shows… they were supposed to just be legends… silly stories… stories the old men told around the campfire to frighten us when we were kids…"

She can't speak. There was nothing she could say.

"I panicked… there is a giant wolf…**inside** the house… my father is gasping on the floor clutching his chest… my sister's clothing has been torn to shreds… I can't see her anywhere, but there is no blood… and I thought… fuck, I don't know what I thought… I screamed and I …I ran into my room … and then…" He did some more pacing. He ran his hand through his hair.

"And then I just… I wasn't **me** anymore… I've torn my clothes apart… and it hurt … it hurt so much … and there are voices in my head… my sister's voice is in my head … and she is just screaming because she thinks she killed our father… and nothing makes any sense… and I just panicked… I can hear Sam Uley… his voice is just in my head… Sam who dumped Leah… and he was trying to calm us all down… but it was just chaos…"

He looked down at her.

"I just had to get out of there… I actually just smashed through the wall… left this massive hole in the timberwork… just had to get away… I couldn't work out why I could hear them … Sam kept saying he was on his way… but how could he help?"

"And then in the end… Sam just said something … he told me to stay," he almost laughed. "Sit, stay, don't run… and I couldn't move… I am flattened on the grass in the back yard and I can't even make these new limbs do what I wanted them to… they are just glued to the ground as if I was caught by a magnet… and that was **even** weirder… that some guy miles away can command me to do stuff… you know… and I have to do it…"

He finally sat, but he was still restless; his leg was twitching. "And Sam is ordering us around and Leah hates him… you know… so she is just screaming at him… and it was just such a complete mess…" His voice finally trailed off.

There was silence for a minute or so.

"What happened to your father Seth… did he make it?"

"No."

Just one word, but it held everything.

He looked at her face and his is grief-stricken.

"And I didn't run towards him… I ran **away**… and hid in my room."

He leapt up again and resumed the pacing.

"He had to be buried the next day… and we could barely hold ourselves together… I mean that literally… Leah was just phenomenal… I couldn't believe how strong she was… for me… for mum…" He looked at her. "I guess I should explain… strong emotions make it easy to wolf out, to phase… especially anger… and we were both so angry… we didn't even make it to the hospital to say good bye… we were still wolves when he died…"

"Seth… I can't imagine how that felt…"

"Well you kind of can understand… I mean you don't have all of it… but you know, better than anybody else how hard it is to be that different … to not be like everyone else… to do weird things that other people can't do… and to not be able to control it…"

"Your poor mother," Rose said.

He gave a bitter chuckle. "She was always on him to eat more healthy food… to look after his body… Leah blamed herself for the longest time… she and Jake kind of dug her out of that hole … that's one of the reasons why she was so bitchy… you remember I told she was in a bad mood for years… I wasn't joking… she made everyone's life hell… even Embry and he is just so sweet…"

"Why did she hate Sam?"

"Oh Jesus… that is another whole saga…" He grinned at her and 'her Seth' was back. "Can I save that nightmare story for another night?"

She held her arms out to him. He knelt on the floor, in front of her and she wrapped her arms around him. She cuddled him in close. "You poor thing… that is just awful," she tried to comfort him. He snuggled up to her.

"It took Mum the longest time to make jokes about the Seth wolf shaped hole in the wall… she said it looked like one of those cartoon holes… you know the ones… that Daffy Duck makes…"

She snorted at the image. "I'm sorry," she apologised.

"No, it's okay." He smiled at her. "Leah gave me shit for years too." He did a passable imitation of his sister's voice. "Jeez little brother… you couldn't go out the window like a normal person?"

They both laughed.

"I want to meet them all," she said.

"I can bring you to the next bonfire… you know… _now_…"

"Now I have joined the club," Rose commented.

He gave her a wide smile. "Yeah."

"I am so glad that it happened … well not the accident... but I am so glad you are _my_wolf," she told him.

"I loved you before then," Seth said. "But I am glad I am your wolf as well. It gives us certainty, you know?"

"I know you feel bad because you didn't help your father… but you've helped me… so much… I couldn't have done this without you. And you make me want to keep on trying. It's you Seth… you make me want to be a better person," she told him.

FF_2154210_ - 4/5/2011 02:15:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 03:24:00 AM


	25. Meet the pack

**Chapter 25 Meet the pack**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Rose was a little nervous. Seth was taking her to a pack bonfire. She had quizzed him for a week all about the pack, the members, and their women and how it all works. She was going to meet them all and all their women too. God, what does she call them? Their Mates?

Seth glanced at her. She looked pretty nervous.

"Now don't go getting upset," he teased her. "It's actually nice weather today."

She smiled. She knew he was just teasing her.

"You'll be fine", he encouraged. "They are not scary at all."

"Really? Half of the men are bigger than you and they all turn into giant wolves… what is there to be scared of?" She was sarcastic.

"Yeah, well okay… really… they are all puppies… cute little puppies…" he tried to convince her.

"Humph."

They arrived at Emily and Sam's sunny house. After Nathan's birth, it was easier to hold wolf barbeques at Sam and Emily's so Nathan could nap in his own cradle if he needed to. She breathed a little easier, as it looked like a perfectly normal house. Emily waved from the porch and Seth parked the car and pulled her out eagerly. He was so excited for her to meet everyone.

"Emily," he called. "This is my Rose."

Emily chuckled at him. "Hello Rose. I am so glad to meet you finally. Seth has been hiding you away from us."

"I did not…" he objected.

Leah stuck her head out the door. Rose breathed easier at the sight of a familiar face. She knew Leah because she has dropped Seth off at her house on a few mornings on her way into work. "Leah," she sighed. "That's one I know."

"Now don't get panicked," Seth said. "You'll be fine."

He put his arm around her and shepherded her into the house. "Hey ladies…" he called. "This is my Rose."

A chorus of replies greeted her. Emily and Leah assured Seth they will look after her and they shooed him off outside with the boys. Like many social functions, the wolf pack seemed to fall into the boys outside and women inside. Leah introduced Rose to everyone who was there. Rose forgot most of their names the minute they said them.

"I'm not good with remembering names," she said. "Please remind me if I forget."

The boys were outside being cavemen and tending the grill. Well, they watched as Sam tended the grill. The girls congregated inside.

Rachel came storming into Emily's kitchen and threw down a couple of bags full of premade salad and a big bowl of hot baby potatoes, mixed in with bacon pieces and half a jar of mayonnaise. Rachel was still not big on the baking side.

"Jake's sister Rachel," muttered Leah in an introduction to Rose. "Embry's partner."

"Fucking Embry!" she swore. "I am going to chain him down and strip his top layer of skin off," she threatened. "With my bare hands!"

Rose looked panicked at that. If this woman was capable of doing that to one of the wolves, she must be powerful indeed.

"What did he do?" asked Emily with resignation.

"He Dutch ovened me," Rachel said.

Everyone snorted except for Kim and Pititchu.

"He did what?" asked Kim innocently.

"Held the sheets over my head and farted," explained Rachel.

"Ewww," from everyone.

"The farting is bad enough normally, without him doing that."

"You had a sheet?" asked Bella with a giggle.

"Bwahaha," Rachel laughed, "Yeah I suppose that was unusual."

Poor Rose had a completely panicked look on her face now.

"Jeez Rachel, tone it down will you? You are scaring the newbie," said Leah.

"Newbie?" She looked around. "Aah you must be Rose. Raven was staying with us and she told us all about you."

Rose looked more panicked.

"Well not **all** about you... as much as she knows right?" Rachel added in an attempt to comfort her.

Leah was still thinking aloud, "It's that line in relationship where you become more… I dunno, 'familiar'… go in and out of the bathroom while you are on the toilet …fart in each other's presence…,"

The girls all looked at her.

"What? What did I say? Jeez we share a pack mind… is there **anything** we don't know about each other?"

They all made noises of agreement.

"Yeah but with these guys it is a whole new ball game. Maybe it's the heat… remember when Kim passed out?" Emily suggested.

They all cackled. Even Pititchu laughed. She and Kim had become good friends and she had shared the story with her before.

"I wasn't here for that," admitted Rachel.

"Jared thought he had fucked her to death," explained Emily. "It was heatstroke or exhaustion or something wasn't it? Sam was still the Alpha and Jared had him over there before she came to, and then when she **did** wake up, they were all embarrassed," Emily added.

"I am not sure who was more embarrassed," laughed Kim. "Maybe Sam; he just really didn't want to be there…"

"We keep the fridge full of isotonic drinks and boxes of snack bars in the bedroom," added Bella. "As a preventative measure."

"It's a nice change to rent a motel room and crank up the air conditioning to frigid levels and go for it," said Kim sagely.

"Come on, who else has passed out?" Rachel asked.

Only Bella put her hand up. None of the girls look surprised at that.

"Typical!" muttered Leah. "Paul," she explained to Rose.

"More than once," admitted Bella.

"Oh no, I only did it that once," said Kim.

"Well what about you three?" Rachel said looking at Leah.

"Three?" asked Rose with trepidation.

"Leah, Jake and Seth all live together," Rachel explained. "Three wolves in the house… Man! That is a lot of sheets to wash. Imagine the laundry pile from all that sweating?" Rachel added.

Leah snorted. "We just don't wear much."

"No wonder Seth is at my place all the time," said Rose without thinking.

There was a beat and then Rachel cackled. "I like her," she said.

The boys were listening outside.

"You are a fucking idiot. You know that Embry," said Jake.

"Yeah well, it seemed like a good idea at the time," he admitted.

"You are going to pay for that, you know that dude," said Quil.

Embry grinned. "Oh yeah…"

"What the hell is she going to do to you?" wondered Jared.

"That's it…," said Embry. "... that is why Rachel is so much fun … I just never know. She's all kinds of inventive that girl. Especially when she can order me around and use the quasi alpha tone one me." He didn't sound concerned; he sounded more eager than anything else.

"Passed out more than once, eh Paul?" asked Seth.

Paul smirked; he looks evil. "Oh yeah, I've lost count." He and Jake shared a look. "Your girl seems to have been accepted," he noted to Seth in a quick topic change.

"She'll be fine. She is pretty quick. She can hold her own."

"I win," said Paul "…still got the **only** paleface."

"Mine is half paleface," argued Seth.

"Clearly ours are made of sterner stuff, that's why your paleface passes out more often during sex. It's nothing to do with you," suggested Embry with a rascally look on his face.

The boys all laughed at the look on Paul's face.

"Hey, don't forget about us!" chimed in Brady. "Collin and I still haven't found our wolf babes."

Sam was turning the meat quietly. He rolled his eyes. "Don't let them hear you call them wolf babes. You won't survive the experience," he advised.

"You are staying very quiet, Jake," noted Seth.

"There is nothing I can contribute to this discussion," he said with a smile.

"No imprint."

"So you've never made Leah pass out?" asked Paul with interest.

"Christ, not for the lack of trying," he admitted. "Remember she is a wolf too. Much harder degree of difficulty there compared to you guys." He sipped his drink and looked superior. "You guys have it easy…"

Their eyes all looked a little glazed over, as they remembered memories that Jake or Leah had let slip.

"Yeah… okay," agreed Quil. "That's fair."

"Sam?" asked Brady gamely.

"No way," he stated. "I am **not** going there. I like my head attached to my shoulders and my balls where they belong, thank you very much."

"She started the discussion," pointed out Brady.

Sam looked thoughtful. "Yeah I guess she did… but I am still not saying anything."

"Hey," started Seth. "If the imprint fairy strikes now… the odds are **really** seriously stacked against Brady and Collin. I mean the fairy HAS to fuck it up now… doncha reckon. I mean my girl has super powers… where do you go from there? It can only be down…"

Quil, Paul and Embry all guffawed, remembering their earlier discussion with Seth about the imprint fairy going wrong. [Chapter 1]

"Yeah," said Paul impishly. "You could imprint on a vampire…"

"…or a baby…" piped up Quil.

"...or each other," suggested Embry.

Brady and Collin looked horrified.

"Go get her Seth," said Jake. "We all want to meet her too."

FF_2154210_ - 4/6/2011 02:09:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 8/31/2011 03:28:00 AM


	26. Phone sex

**Chapter 26 Phone Sex**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Rose survived the bonfire and meeting all the pack. They were really not as scary as they all looked. The scariest part was when one of them had held her hand for too long and said something vaguely suggestive and Seth had growled at him. She'd never heard Seth growl before. It sounded very odd coming out his human throat. Jake had smacked the guy up the back of the head with a wallop she could feel from where she was standing. The guy had just grinned at her. Seth explained that was typical for Paul.

She thought they were all kind of like Seth and he was not scary at all to her.

She still had not seen any of them in wolf form and she was not sure about asking to do that yet. She thought she would know when she was ready. All she had was a vague memory of the big sandy wolf at the side of the road just before the accident.

She could not imagine how big they were as wolves; some of the men were the biggest men she had ever seen. Jake must be 6ft 7 at least. She was used to big men because of her father and Seth, but the pack boys made her shake her head. And Quil? He was just a wall of muscle. She thought she really must take some photos of them for the nurses in the hospital. She remembered them telling her how cute they thought Seth was and what a great body he had. They would just die, if they could see the rest of the pack. She remembered him saying he was the runt of the litter and he was almost right. Even Embry was the slimmest of them all and _only_ 6ft 3 and he still had washboard abs.

The girls all seemed really nice too, although Pititchu was a little odd. But none of the girls seemed to mind how she behaved and it was clear that Quil adored her. And Emily and Sam's baby Nathan was just the cutest thing she had ever seen.

When she thought about it, they all seemed to adore their partners. Maybe this imprint thing worked well for them? She would have to quiz Seth about which of them were actually imprinted. Even that scary woman Rachel seemed much calmer near her Embry.

Leah and Jake made a great couple too. Seth had explained how they were the leaders of the pack. The alpha pair, he called them. She thought they looked like it too. They were both formidable enough apart and _together_… they were amazing.

"Rose!" chided Seth. "Concentrate."

"Awww, do I have to?" she whined. Seth had her doing exercises and she was not giving it her full attention.

"Come on," he encouraged. "Balance, tighten your stomach muscles, then lift your opposite arm and leg straight out." They were doing Pilates.

"This is stupid… I can't concentrate on more than one thing at a time," she whined. "I forget to breathe."

"Of course you can. You can walk and chew gum can't you? To use the usual example," Seth argued. "Every time you do anything, you are using a number of different muscles. Walk carrying a full glass of water, that kind of thing."

She looked sulky. She still had some balance issues so, that was actually a bad example for her.

He noticed. "Okay fine… I apologise for using that as an example." He thought for a minute. "Yesterday…" he said.

"What?"

"I called you and you were talking to me on the phone, while you made breakfast and walked around the kitchen. Exactly how many different things were you doing; if you really break it down into all the different parts?"

"As I recall, you were doing most of the talking Seth." She grinned at him. "Oh, I think I understand. I **can** do more than one thing at a time, if I am not concentrating too hard at it. But how is this helping me with the storm control?"

"You are learning to concentrate on different things at the same time. Like moving your arms and legs and breathing," he suggested. "You have to do it until you are not actually thinking about it; you are kind of on auto pilot."

"So I can't ever turn it off, but I have to have the storm control, kind of on mute? So it is on, but in the background? Like you do when you aren't listening to everything you can hear."

"Yeah, I suppose. Actually that is a pretty good example. Because I want to keep the secret about the pack, I have to be really careful that I don't answer people who weren't talking to me or react to some noise, I could not have heard normally. It took me a long time to learn to do it. It is really hard not to react to hearing your own name." He smiled at her. "The pack still has issues with that. Billy said Raven picked up that we were different, from the way we moved as a unit and they way we all turned at some noise, she had not even heard. So we need to practice too. You aren't alone."

"Busted huh?"

"Well it was Raven. You know I think she doesn't miss a trick."

"She's fabulous."

He looked thoughtful. "I suppose you could say the storm will be on in the background, like a soundtrack for your life."

She giggled. "A soundtrack for your life. That is so _cute_, Seth."

He frowned at her and then started tickling her. The exercise session went on hold.

"God Seth I am so… tightly wound today," Rose whined down the phone to Seth. "I am going to zap something…"

"I can't come over Honey, I've got patrol and Jake let me have so much time off… I can't refuse him now."

"Ohhh… but I want you… I **need** you… "

"You can't have me Honey… but you can have my voice… I know you like my voice."

"Really?" She sounded slightly off-put for a second. "What are you suggesting?"

"Wanna try phone sex… I've got fifteen minutes…," he suggested.

"Fifteen minutes?" Now, she sounded offended. "Do you really think you can get me off in fifteen minutes?"

Seth laughed. "I KNOW I can get you off in less than that…"

"Humph"

"Besides, you'll be getting yourself off. You're wasting time Rose…," his voice sounded low and sultry.

"Oh…okay then," she agreed.

There was silence for a little while.

"What are you wearing?" Seth asked

"Oh please, Seth, that is so stupid…"

"Rose," he chided.

"Fine," she huffed. "I am wearing my pyjamas."

"Describe them."

"They are shorts with Winnie-the-pooh on them and a matching t-shirt."

"What colour?"

"Seth, how is this helping?"

"Just getting the full visual, Honey. Do you want me to tell you what I am wearing?"

She made that hiccup noise. "O-okay."

"I just got out of the shower. I have a wet towel on."

"That's all?"

"Yep."

"Oh…" She swallowed hard. "Are you still all wet?"

"Yeah… little water droplets are running down my chest from my wet hair…"

"Ohhh," she moaned.

"See… the visual is important. What colour are your pyjamas?"

"Blue… they're blue. What colour is your towel?"

"I don't have a towel on now."

"Ohhh…" Her breathing started to quicken.

"Rose … are you lying on your bed?"

"Yes. Are you?"

"Yes. Lie on your back. Make sure you have some pillows behind you."

"Okay."

"Close your eyes."

"Seth?"

"Slide your hand into your pants… are you wet?"

"Yesss…"

"Use your finger… push one finger inside yourself…" He could tell she was doing it from the change in her breathing. "Use that moisture… slide your hand up a little and let the finger stroke over your clit…"

She moaned.

"Do it again…"

"Oh… Seth," she moaned.

"Keep going… keep the pace slow… press harder when you feel like it…" he instructed.

"What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly.

"I am so hard… just listening to you is driving me crazy… I can hear how wet you sound…so moist…"

She groaned.

"I'm using some lube… spreading it over myself and imaging it is you… the way you are so warm and so wet… and the way you grip me really tightly… just before you come… makes my vision go white… feels like you clench a fist tight around me…"

"Mmmm," she agreed. "You're so hot Seth… and you have such clever fingers…. Fingers…" she repeated to herself.

Her breath hiccupped again.

"That's it… you work that spot for me Honey… feel how wet you are… I am sliding my hand up my hard cock… I twist my palm over the head and slide down again… it feels just like when I slide into you… you are so hot… so tight… so wet…"

"Oh Seth," she groaned. "When you push inside me it feels so hot…"

Seth spoke, "…one day I think I will break my spine… I arch back so hard to try and push that last… little… piece of me … all the way inside you…"

"Oh… yes… just like that…"

"Use your fingers Honey… fuck yourself with your fingers… stroke your clit with your thumb…"

"Oh… god…"

"Keep going Honey… you're nearly there…"

She started to pant. She raised her knees up and then she orgasmed. "Seth…" she wailed. She could hear him panting and grunting in her ear. It was almost like he was there with her.

"Yes… just like that…yes… YES…" he cried out.

They lay there listening to each other pant into the phone.

"Okay," she conceded. "That was less than fifteen minutes."

"Told ya."

"You sure you can't come over…?"

"I've created a monster," he muttered. "Jeez girl, a man's gotta sleep… otherwise I will be no use to you at all."

"Awww. You usually recover pretty fast."

"Tomorrow night… your mum is looking after you tomorrow and I have some school stuff to catch up with, so I won't see you during the day… I will meet you at our spot… in the woods… I will make it up to you… I promise…," he offered. "I'll send you a text when I get there so you can come out and meet me."

"How will you make it up to me?" she asked.

"Jeez girl, if I start describing it to you we'll have to go again," he chuckled.

"Awww…" she whined.

FF_2154210_ - 7/04/2011 02:17:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 03:33:00 AM


	27. Frolicking in the forest

**Chapter 27 Frolicking in the forest**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

**AN: pointless lemon warning – remember children, safe sex always**

* * *

He texted her when he got to their spot. Half the problem with Rose was he spent all his spare time thinking about her and then when he saw her, he was at such a heightened level of excitement, he had trouble keeping himself under control. Luckily, so far, she was right there with him. He thought maybe she spent the whole day thinking about him too.

He could hear the back door of the house close and knew she was on her way. He paces back and forth, and then decides to go meet her. He watches her walk carefully through the forest. Her night vision was not good and she had a torch. He always thought they were a silly idea; they only illuminate the one bit they show. Everything else around them is darker because of the concentrated light. Sometimes he thinks it would be easier to turn it off, close your eyes for a minute and trust yourself. But he knows trusting the forest is not something Rose was capable of… yet.

She was wearing a robe and a pair of runners. He saw glimpses of her long pyjama pants underneath as she walked.

He leaned against a tree trunk and folded his arms, watching her. He gave her a soft low wolf whistle.

She grinned, knowing it was him. She still couldn't see him.

"Over here Honey," he called softly.

She turned toward him but he can tell she was still blind.

"Seth?"

"Right here," he replied. "…Polo," he said mischievously.

"Oh please… I am not playing Marco Polo with you in the forest… in the dark." She waved the torch around.

"Murder in the dark then?" he suggested. "Warmer," he added as she walked in the right direction.

"Turn the torch off," he told her.

"How will that help?"

"Just do it."

She sighed. "Okay," she clicked it off. "Was I hurting your eyes?"

"Yeah…something like that."

He watched her take another tentative step. "Close your eyes for a minute and let your eyes adjust. The moon is huge tonight, you don't need it."

"Trust me," he added when she didn't.

She sighed again. "Fine," she huffed. She stood still and closed her eyes.

He waited for a minute. "Okay, open them now." He was still leaning against the tree and he watched her scan around until she saw him. She smiled.

"All right, I believe you now," she admitted. She walked carefully towards him. He met her half way.

They kissed. He pulled her off the ground and plastered her body against his. She loved it when he did that. She told him that one day so he does it more frequently now.

"You are right. The moon casts a different light doesn't it? Everything loses its colour. If it is such a full moon… shouldn't you be furrier?"

He laughed. "It doesn't work like that. Technically, we are shape shifters not werewolves. We just call ourselves wolves."

"In those books you gave me to listen to, the Anita Blake ones, the shifters had to stay animal for a couple of hours unless they were really powerful."

"Oh, okay… no, we can shift back and forth at will."

"Really?"

"Do you want to see me?"

"I don't know… are you scary? I only have a vague memory from before… you know…" She didn't want to remind him about the accident.

"I'm still me," he said.

"I know; you told me."

"I still think like me…" he added as he kissed her again. " Take your clothes off Rose," he said in a low voice.

"Aren't you the one phasing?"

"Did you want to have sex tonight?"

"With a wolf?" she sounded a little concerned.

"No," he hurried to reassure her. "When I phase back, I will be naked and I want you to be ready."

"Ready?" she repeated.

"I just want to try something. Do you trust me?"

She looked at him. She did trust him. She started to take off her robe. "Can I leave my shoes on?" she asked.

"Sure, sure," he agreed.

When she tried to get undressed, she realised she had to take the shoes off to get her pyjama pants off. She stood on the shoes rather than the forest floor. Seth smiled at that. Then she put the shoes back on. She really was not the outdoorsy type. He just shook his head. Eventually she stood naked and shivering a little with her runners back on her feet.

"It's too cold," she complained. "Can I put the robe back on?"

"All right."

She wrapped the robe around herself and held it closed over her body. "Okay… I'm ready." She frowned. "What am I ready for, Seth?"

"I want to chase you."

He heard her heart rate increase.

"Chase me?"

"Let me phase first."

"But…"

He stripped off his cut-offs and phased and anything else she wanted to say was stopped in her throat.

She stood there with her mouth open, just staring at him. Her hands clutched at the robe against her chest.

Wolf Seth took a small step towards her. Very slowly, he took another step. She slowly reached a hand out to him. In the moonlight, his fur looks as if it is almost lit from within. He butted his head under her hand and it broke the spell.

She smiled and stroked his head. He arched under her touch. She pulled his ears and scratched behind them and he pushed his massive body against her. She stroked right along his back. Feeling his fur. Burying her fingers in it. She leaned over his body and hugged him around the neck and he made an odd rumbly noise.

She tried to look him in the eyes but he licked her face. She wiped the slobber off on her robe sleeve.

He pushed at her body again.

"Is it time to play?" she asked.

He nodded his wolf head.

"I guess Marco Polo is out of the question," she said with a chuckle.

He almost rolled his eyes at her.

"Okay, I will go hide… will that work?"

He tilted his head and then nodded. Then he spun on the dirt floor, his paws digging into the ground and he shot away into the dark.

She looked around for somewhere to hide. She closed her eyes again to calm her heart and regain her night vision. She opened them and made her way carefully through the forest. Her heart rate was not calming; she was so excited. Seth had told her about the imprint and the exchange of emotion sometimes. She wondered how much of the excitement she felt was hers.

She found two trees close together and she slipped between them. She was so caught up in the game that her normal worries about creepy crawlies were gone. She closed her eyes like a baby hiding and tried to breathe slowly.

She tried to listen. She could hear nothing other than the normal night noises of the forest. She actually squealed when he licked her hand. She didn't hear a sound. He danced around happily, pleased with himself.

"Oh this is just not fair," she whined as she clambers out of her hiding place.

He butted at her with his head. She faced him and he crouched down in the leaf litter. His tail switched slowly back and forth. His eyes were locked onto her. She backed away slowly. She felt a little frightened but overlaying it was an unbelievable excitement.

He started to weave back and forth herding her. She couldn't take her eyes off him. She had forgotten to tie up the robe and when she put her hands out to feel her way, it fell open. He got an even more feral look in his wolf eyes and his head tilted slightly. She comprehended that she could control this game. And it **wa****s** a game; it was Seth. He was not going to hurt her. She reached up for the edges of the gown and opened it fully, exposing herself to him.

She could feel the moisture building in the air as her own excitement increased.

She backed away from the wolf and he followed her. She tilted her chin up; she challenged him with a look. She opened the gown further; lifting it away from her body so that the collar is resting across the top of her shoulders and she tried to confront him with her eyes. She stepped back, her foot caught on a root and she fell. She had lost the game. He was on her before she hit the ground. She let out a scream. His paws rode on her shoulders as she fell into the leaf litter; his muzzle was in her face.

In an instant, he was human. He was above her completely naked, hard and ready. But his eyes still had that feral gleam.

She grabbed him. She dragged his face to hers, kissing him in a frenzy and she wrapped her legs around him. He pulled away from the kiss, his hand fumbling between her legs, he moved up her body and then he was thrusting into her in one long deep movement that made her cry aloud.

He was too tall to kiss and fuck her at the same time in this position, but she didn't care right now. She was buried somewhere under his pecs so she kissed and bit at them in her own animal frenzy. Her nails scraped down his back as he arched into her.

The robe protected the skin of her back from the leaf litter but she can feel small stones and twigs sticking into her. All of that can wait. Her whole focus is on Seth's long, hard length as it pounded her into the earth.

The storm crackled ominously overhead and the rain started to fall.

"Oh Rose," he panted out. "Oh yes… yes… just like that…"

She sank her nails into his thrusting buttocks and he buried himself impossibly deeper in her.

There was a crack of thunder and the storm broke over them. She cried out again in her ecstasy and the rain intensified. When the lightning cracked, it lit up the two of them, Seth's wet hair plastered over his face as he arched up into her one last time, his neck and shoulders straining with the effort. She watched him in absolute awe.

He fell off to the side a little, still buried within her, his arm across her chest. They lay there breathing hard and staring at each other.

"Wow," she said wiping the rain out of her eyes.

"That was fairly intense," he stated.

"I'll say," she agreed.

He looked at her again seriously. "I want to make love to you in a bed, Rose. The outside thing is kinda cool and all, but I am getting sick of being rained on… you know? I want to finish and go to sleep right where I am."

"Right where you are?" she asked.

"Yeah," he looked predatory for a second. He raised himself up on one arm and gave her another little thrust that made her breath hitch again. He loved doing that; that little bit extra. "Yeah stay right where I was and sleep and then wake up hard inside you and go again…"

"Oh…" she interrupted in a very small voice. " What if I want to move?"

"Why would you want to move?" he asked her.

And right now, she couldn't think of one good reason why she would want to move.

FF_2154210_ - 8/04/2011 02:01:00 AM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 03:39:00 AM


	28. A walk in the forest

**Chapter 28 A walk in the forest**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing – she has posted one of her Riddick stories here at fanfiction__.net/u/2784897/ruadh_sidhe_

_Ruadh sidhe - nightmare._

* * *

Rose and Seth were looking for somewhere different to have sex. He was trying to convince her to do it in the pool at the base of the waterfall; she tried to tell him that water oddly seemed to make her drier rather than wetter. He assured her he could manage to make her as wet as he needed. He also pointed out that she will rain on them both in any case. She snorted at him and assured him that it was not that kind of wet, she was talking about.

There was a noise in the forest ahead of them. Seth took a sniff, pushed her behind him and just phased.

Seth had phased immediately and that was scary enough at the speed with which he had done it. He didn't even remove his clothes. He had just torn his clothes and shoes apart. Little pieces of them were raining down like some kind of weird snow. He had let out a howl; a signal to the pack and then he concentrated on protecting her from whatever it was in the forest.

Rose stood frozen; she stared at the scene in front of her.

It was a vampire.

It had to be. The light glinted off its skin in an odd fashion. She had never seen one before, but it was white and pale and fast; so very fast. Seth was faster. He was a sandy blur as he moved, staying between the vampire and her. If she ran, she was just going to make his job harder, she knew that. So, she stayed. She admitted to herself that she would actually have trouble running, even if she had wanted to.

She was also sure she could not leave Seth, in any case.

The attacking vampire, oddly, doesn't just run. She was willing to bet that Seth will stay with her and not chase it, so it was its best chance of survival… to run.

Then she learnt why. There was another noise in the forest and suddenly, there was a second vampire. She was almost hyperventilating. The pack will never make it in time.

She and Seth were both going to die here.

He snapped at them; he bit and growled at them. But he cannot hold off two of them.

It took her some time to remember that she was not as helpless as a normal girl was.

It was the first time she had ever tried to use her gift as a weapon. But she had a huge incentive. She thought Seth will be hurt and she did not want him to be injured. He had told her that wolves and vampires are mortal enemies. The wolves are quite capable of tearing a vampire apart; little else will penetrate their marble skin. But a vampire bite is poisonous to the wolves.

She did _not_want Seth to be bitten.

She was frightened; no worse than that… she was terrified. She tried to breathe, to calm herself and then she felt a kernel of anger. She was furious at these dead things. Dead things that were trying to hurt her man… her wolf… and hurt her… when all they were doing was going for a walk in the woods… she guessed that they must have assumed they were just people… snacks to them...

It occurred to her that if they _were_ normal… they would be dead about now.

She stoked and coaxed that tiny kernel of anger and she felt a hint of static in the air. She concentrated on the particles she could feel around her. Seth found the time to give her a quick yip.

She took it as encouragement.

She built that anger into aggravation and then into fury and then into rage.

She could smell ozone.

One of the vampires had ripped a branch from a tree… it was the size of her waist around and they lifted it effortlessly and swung it like a baseball player swinging a bat. The vampire batted at Seth. He skipped to the side but the second vamp was herding him. They ignored Rose. In their minds she was the weaker party.

She was so angry now, she was livid. The very air buzzed and crackled like a swarm of angry bees.

She called to the storm building above her. One of the vampires thought to look at her for a fraction of a second before Rose emitted a scream. It was a noise of fury and rage.

Her outstretched arm pointed at the armed vampire. Her hand was open but her fingers were bent like claws.

She called the lightning and for the first time **ever**, it came when she asked it to.

An almighty bolt hit the armed vamp. The branch held above their head just made it easier for her. The branch conducted electricity much better than the vampire holding it. The lightning looked for the easy path so it struck the branch first and then spread from there.

Seth danced away from them both and he moved closer to Rose.

The vampire clutched the tree branch. It looked like it is actually physically unable to let it go. It must have had a phone and an iPod or some other piece of metal, in its pockets and the charge concentrated on those. There was a flash-over as the charge spread around its body. The charge concentrated on the neck and shoulders of the vampire and it danced between the two metallic items in the two different pockets.

Seth was crouching down low to the ground. But the other vamp was still standing, staring in horror at his friend. The bolt flashed over to him. It jumped Seth because he was down so low to the ground.

If it was a normal bolt of lightning, they might have survived it, but she called the strike for probably double the length of time it would normally have lasted.

She fried them where they stood. Eventually the first vampire just burst into flames. The branch now served less as ammunition and more as fuel. The second vamp fell to the ground unconscious and Seth leapt on to him and started to tear him apart. Rose had a free demonstration of just how easily a wolf could tear them apart. He threw pieces of the vampire he was attacking onto the fire of his companion.

Rose lowered her arm and tried to breathe. She took a great gulp of air and staggered a little where she stood. Strong hands grabbed her from behind. It was Jake. The rest of the silent pack was grouped behind them. They stood in human form in complete silence. Their faces all expressed wonder.

"Are you all right, Rose?" Jake asked. She couldn't answer him so, she just shook her head. "Brady, Collin, help Seth," he ordered the pack.

They snapped out of their reverie and rushed to help Seth. Seth looked up and seemed to realise for the first time, that the pack had arrived to rescue them.

He trotted over to Rose in wolf form, leaving the vamp disposal to the youngest wolves. He radiated pride and smugness from every hair. He phased back and took her from Jake's arms.

"I am so proud of you," he told her intently. He hugged her to him and suddenly she burst into tears.

"That was fucking awesome!" Quil shouted.

"I was so frightened," she sobbed against Seth's naked chest. She clutched at him. "I thought we were both going to die," she sobbed out.

"You were fantastic," he told her. "Did you see that, guys? Wasn't she fantastic?"

"Yeah, we saw," agreed Embry.

"Super powers," Seth told her proudly. "My girl has super powers."

"That was fairly unforgettable," admitted Leah.

"I never thought I would say this," confessed Jake. "But Quil is right. That is an awesome weapon."

"Do you feel okay, Honey?" Seth asked her.

Paul and Jared came late to the party. They both phased back and come out of the forest putting their cut offs on. Seth was still naked and nobody seemed to care. Rose was plastered so firmly to his front; no one could see anything in any case.

"What did we miss?" asked Paul.

"Rose called a lightning strike and fried two vampires… didn't you Honey?" said Seth. He still sounded so proud of her.

"Fuck! Seriously? And we missed it?" Jared swore.

"Can you do it again?" asked Paul.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I feel… kind of drained."

FF_2154210_ - 9/04/2011 03:21:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 03:43:00 AM


	29. Side effects

**Chapter 29 side effects**

_Disclaimer: the characters and all recognisable situations belong to Stephenie Meyer - this is a work of fan fiction, except for the legends and histories of the Quileute and the Makah that, of course, belong to them. I pay my respects to their gods._

_Thanks to BanSidhe for betaing._

* * *

Seth was very concerned about Rose because it took her quite a long time to calm down after her big vamp zapping exercise. In the end he insisted on taking her to see the tribal medic, Charles Eastman to check her out and make sure she was fine.

She seemed to just be physically exhausted. Seth carried her in to the medical centre. Charles checked her over and assured him that she was fine as far as he could tell. They let her sleep and went in to Charles's office to have a discussion.

Seth decided to quiz Charles about the medical side effects for Rose.

"I don't know what she was like before the coma, but now she wears herself out concentrating too hard… if she has to do more than one thing or absorb a lot of information at once … she seems just worn out … like she is overloaded."

"When she does it, it takes a sugar hit to help her recover. A big mug of sweet hot chocolate, or a soda or a candy bar or something like that, otherwise, she just sleeps for ages. She could sleep for ten hours at a stretch."

Charles gave him a look.

"Seriously, she sleeps a lot! I mean I sleep when I can, but I swear she would **hibernate**. Maybe she is part bear or something… no something smaller… what else hibernates that is really little … a squirrel?"

"Any other issues Seth?" Charles tried to get him back on topic.

"Yeah, she still gets headaches, migraines sometimes… she has muscle spasms in her left leg… I am working on getting her to hike… to build up the muscle strength … we might build up to jogging if she is up to it…"

"It sounds more like the side effects of a lightning strike survivor than a coma patient."

"Well I suppose that would make sense," Seth agreed.

"We had better keep a watch on her for optical problems."

"Like what?"

"Well like cataracts… that is a common one. Lightning is very damaging to the eyes. What about her ears?"

"Huh?"

"Does she have balance issues?" Charles checked.

"Yes, she does. I thought it was worse when she was tired."

"Uh huh."

"Charles?"

"Ever had an ear infection Seth?"

"Yeah, I had a bad one once… inner ear … couldn't walk straight… mum had me, down to the doctor and on antibiotics as soon as she realised what it was… do ears affect how you walk or balance?"

"Yes. The tiny little hairs inside your ear help you balance. Hers might be injured or damaged."

There was silence for a minute while Charles thought.

"Psychological damage?" he asked.

"Pardon?"

"How is she behaviour wise?"

"She gets anxious; she has almost panic attacks… she got really upset when they said she could go home from the hospital … it was such a big change in routine for her… she tries hard not to, because it is so obvious with the storm build up thing …but she can wind herself up pretty quickly."

Seth thought about it for a minute before adding, "Plus, she blames herself for the whole family life change. They had to move from Deadwood to here… her father changed jobs... with a loss of income. I mean no one else in the family seems to think like that… they are all happy she is better… but she worries that they do… that they blame her… plus the money they spent on her bills and treatments that they no longer have to spend on themselves… for holidays and things like that … she feels guilty about that too."

"Maybe you can get them to talk it up to her; how great it is here. Assuming they **are** happy here. See if they will tell her how happy they all are now…. that kind of stuff."

"Charles how do you know all this stuff about lightning survivors?" Seth asked.

Charles looks chagrined. "Truth is, Seth the first time I heard about her… ability… I worried that she might hit someone else… someone in the pack… even you. I wanted to be prepared for whatever might come from this being around… before I just had to worry about teeth, claws and venom … I suppose… but now…" he shrugged.

"Whoa," said Seth. "She is my imprint… so one day we might have children… what if… man… "

"If you crossed a werewolf with a thunderbird…" Charles suddenly snorted with laughter.

Seth frowned at him.

"Imagine the problems with static electricity if they were furry as well… they would burst out of their clothes and have half of the pieces stuck to their fur…"

"Shit…" said Seth. "They'd look like… what are those cute little fuzz ball dogs with the black tongues…?"

"Chows?"

And then they both cracked up laughing.

"Awww… they'd be so cuuute…" said Seth. "But no visiting Auntie Leah's puppies."

"Shit yeah," said Charles.

Seth was sure he had never heard him swear before.

"Whatever pups Jake and Leah bred would just tear them apart."

Seth and Paul had just finished a patrol together and they were walking back towards Paul and Bella's house.

"We are working on Roses' control. If she can target it better, it would make her feel a little less out of control as well. Plus I would like to try her keeping storms away. That would be cool… imagine we could have sunny bonfires in La Push while it is raining in Forks. Plus, there is an added bonus to this big discharge thing from Rose." Seth sounded inordinately pleased with himself.

"A bonus? What kind of a bonus is there to your girl is the vamp equivalent of the electric chair?" Paul asked.

"She's fully discharged now," said Seth.

Paul looked confused. "Excuse me?"

"It seems like it might take her a while to build up to a full charge now."

"Oh, I get it… you can fuck now without getting tasered."

"Yep. Perfect. We can actually do it in a bed now. I never appreciated beds before. I think I really like having sex and then just going to sleep. No need to shower all the mud off."

"Great Seth, you just have to leave her alone in the forest every three months or so and let some vamp scare the fuck out of her enough so that she let's loose and you're home free… I mean clearly she has to be in state of abject terror to let loose badly enough to run out of juice… we can manage that? Right?"

Seth just looked at Paul. "Well okay, maybe I haven't thought this through clearly…"

"She's got a few thorns, your Rose," Paul commented.

* * *

the end

* * *

_To stand against the deep dread-bolted thunder?_

_In the most terrible and nimble stroke_

_Of quick, cross lightning?_

(Wm. Shakespeare, "King Lear", Act 4, Scene 7)

**AN: gosh… how did that happen… we are at the end of another story…**

**This is as far as I wanted to take Seth and Rose. I don't know where this series will go next, but I am sure I will think of something…**

**We've been through the whole pack right? Except for Collin and Brady and really there is just**_**nothing**_**we know about those guys. I will have to think about it. All we know is that they are both about 13yo and their parents don't know they are wolves and they were supposed to take out Esme. So not the pack's best fighters, but they are unblooded. And that is it. There were 17 wolves by the big scene in BD counting Jacob.**

**Don't panic! I have some other things to post for you in the meantime. **

FF_2154210_ - 10/04/2011 02:35:00 PM

FF_2154210_ - 31/08/2011 03:48:00 AM


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